ZBD’s Chief Technology Officer, Cliff Jones, explains how the company has managed to make significant visual improvements to its displays. In a dramatic shift away from the tinted green screens seen on earlier versions of its epop displays, the latest epop family has crisp, clean white screens that set it apart from its competitors. This gives ZBD the only viable e-paper solution for retail at a cost that makes sense.

“A key attribute of ZBD’s proprietary bistable LCD technology used within its epop displays is its design flexibility. Devices are readily tailored for different sizes, image contents, and simple area colour. ZBD’s current product range maximizes the reflectivity and contrast, and the new revised product designs have been adapted to make them even more paper-white in colour.

ZBD’s technology is based on a standard twisted-nematic display similar to that used in most digital watches and calculators with two glass plates spaced about 5 microns apart containing the liquid crystal material. The difference between the ZBD device and a standard LCD is the use of a novel grating surface on one of the internal surfaces of the glass to give the LCD the property of bistability: storing the image even after the power is removed. This property is not only ideal for ultra-low power consumption applications, but also it enables unlimited amounts of information to be written since complex images can be written line by line without loss of image after a second or so.

The change in our optical configuration significantly improves the white appearance of our displays without cost or performance penalties and we plan to implement them in full production during the coming quarter.”

ENDS

Notes for editors

About ZBD:
ZBD is a leader in the design and supply of point of purchase electronic displays and associated software solutions for the retail industry. The company blends strategic vision and commercial focus with world-class scientific, engineering and manufacturing expertise. Through contemporary design, innovative technology and sound engineering, ZBD’s product portfolio offers an environmentally-friendly, 21st century alternative to the traditional paper shelf edge labelling usually employed in the retail environment. The company is supported by a team of leading venture capital groups – DFJ Esprit LLP, QinetiQ, TTP Ventures and the Dow Chemical Company. For further information, visit www.zbdsolutions.com. 

Media contact:
Sarah Hool
Tel: +44 (0)1344 887 508 or +44 (0) 7753 573490 (mobile)
sarah.hool@zbdsolutions.com

ZBD Displays Ltd, Longford Business Centre, Orchard Lea, Winkfield Lane, Windsor, SL4 4RU, UK.