Things That Think: 1000x Road

Research Photo

Slides from Spring 2004
presentation (PDF)
(sponsors only)

E Ink Website

1000x Road
Details of Toppan's work with E Ink Corporation to make flexible printed displays a reality.

Who:	From Toppan: Heeday Danjo From the Media Lab: Prof. Joe Jacobson, head of the Molecular Machines group, and engineers at Media Lab spinoff E Ink Corporation
When:	2001-present
Where:	MIT Media Lab and E Ink Corporation, Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA
Why:	Toppan was looking for a new product to bring to market due to stagnation in many sectors of the printing industry. It decided to pursue a fundamentally new type of display.
How:	By investing in and collaborating with the Media Lab spinoff, Toppan and Eink successfully brought the concept to fruition.

Details

Danjo met Jacobson in 1995 and the seed was planted at that time to pursue electronic printed displays. In 1997, E Ink was established and soon began development of the technology based on research from Jacobson's group, Molecular Machines. The elecrophoretic displays looked like ink on paper and were readable, low power, and portable.

In 2001, Toppan made an initial $5 million investment in E Ink and began a collaboration to create a color version. In 2002, Toppan made another $25 million investment and dedicated 25 people to pursue the collaboration. Engineers from Toppan were based in Cambridge, Mass., to work closely with E Ink. An initial prototype was created.

In 2003, engineering samples were fabricated and the product was well-received at industry tradeshows.

Currently, in 2004, they are nearing their first commercial shipment of the product.


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