When I was at school some 15 years ago we heard talk that in the future there would be no use of paper. Computers were being introduced into our classrooms and once a week we would learn IT skills. Despite these claims when I left school I entered the working world to discover that despite the use of computers in the office there was still huge amounts of paper work to deal with.Many companies are still inundated with documents of all kinds that need filing away or hunting down and then securing for many years to come.
Unnecessary Use of Paper
While many offices use the latest technology some still decide to print off the odd fax or refuse to consider using online storage as opposed to locked up filing cabinets and so there is still a huge need for paper and demand for these types of products. However, the times are changing and after many years of waiting it appears that the paperless office is soon to become a reality.
Plastic Logic has been working quietly away in their R&D center based in Cambridge. Behind their walls they have been creating and perfecting the future of paper. Forget trees and pulp, this paper is electronic and made from a material we all know and use in our everyday lives, plastic. Plastic screens, or electronic paper, is the way forward and could be the ideal opportunity for organisations and offices to finally remove the need for paper products.
These cutting edge display screens have the ability to show clear and impressive text, photos and images and video animation. They are able to do all this and still remain completely flexible in your hand offering a more robust and high tech alternative to alternative screens such as glass and LCD.
In offices and on the move these screens give the user a much easier way of viewing documents and emails and sharing it around the office eliminating the need to print off documents. This technology could also be used in clothing, on furniture or even embedded into office furniture and chairs opening up lots of new opportunities to how our offices function.
Current Uses for this Incredibly Advanced Technology
Right now this technology is being used in different ways such as in e-readers and electronic text books. The low battery usage and strength along with the touch screen interface means that the plastic displays are perfectly designed for such use. They are also being used as a companion for smartphone users.
Users have the option of reading text, watching animation and browsing the internet, including flash websites with the flexible, thin and lightweight 10.7 inch screen rather than on their handset. It provides a more comfortable reading experience and is certainly a gadget that offers bragging rights to the owner.
The advantages have also been noted within the medical industry as the underlying technology could also improve the way we use x-rays offering a more complete way of viewing internal images. The possibility of full body curved x-ray sensors is one of the non-display concepts that are being considered. These sensors will use the same technology as the displays yet allow for much more mobile devices, including scanners.
For the meantime you will still find paper in the workplace, but the idea of a paperless office is finally on our doorstep. With this technology already available and developments being made all the time it is clear that Plastic Logic will be changing the way we work. Keep your eyes peeled for new information from the R&D center in the very near future, and if you get a chance to use the flexible screens I’d jump on it. You’ll be holding the future in the palm of your hands.
Carolina GreenAbout the Guest Author:
Carolina Green blogs about gadgets and technology, covering everything from the latest smartphone developments to advancements in flexible display technology. When she’s not on Carolina is a self confessed foodie and a keen traveller.
