Digital Paper has been around for quite some time – popularized by the Amazon Kindle – but doesn’t have much of a following beyond e-books. Slowly, though, the format is making its way into home automation devices because it is low-power, inexpensive and fast.
Start-up Displ’Ever demonstrated at CES 2016 a new e-paper display that is as flat as a Kindle but packs IoT technologies including Bluetooth Smart (BLE), Thread, AllJoyn (Qualcomm technology behind the AllSeen Alliance) and Enocean.
Enocean is an energy-harvesting technology that eliminates the need for batteries. In the case of Displ’Ever, the device is powered by ambient light via an array of “mini solar panels.”
Simply slap this flat touch pad (with tactile feedback) onto a wall, and you’re good to go. Welcome to the future of wireless smart-home controllers?
Displ’Ever is a crowd-funded initiative led by NanoSense, a French product developer specializing in energy efficiency and indoor air quality for residential and commercial spaces. As such, the first model is heavy on the energy management and IAQ.
Even so, Displ’Ever features an open platform and the company offers a free SDK for Java apps. New Applets can be uploaded to the device with a smartphone via NFC.
Built into the Displ’Ever display are sensors for temperature, air quality and ambient light.
In addition, Displ’Ever offers an EnOcean/IP gateway for retrieving weather forecasts from the Internet, as well as local utility rates that can be factored into the energy-consumption forecast displayed on the screen. In addition, the gateway can be used to process and disseminate data from other EnOcean sensors in the ecosystem.
The other participants in the Displ’Ever initiative include Eelectron, a developer of KNX-enabled smart devices; Vity, a long-time developer of higher-end home control systems; and IVV, a Portuguese maker of security and automation systems,
Displ'Ever is expected to hit the market in July 2016 with a retail price of approximately $299. Indiegogo supporters can reserve one for $249.
More E-Paper in Home Automation
Resolution Products, maker of the Helix home automation and security system, is one of the few home-control companies exploiting the low cost and low power requirements of digital ink. The technology is used in Resolution's ultra-thin, battery-powered BLE keypads. The main Helix controller resides in a cabinet.
