Can you hear that? That’s the sound of e-reader lamp accessory makers cursing Flex Lighting, which has developed an internal light source for e-readers. The light source comes in the form of a flexible film and an LED working in tandem to create a diffused, power-efficient glow.
The transparent layer sits over the top of the reading surface. Flex Lighting claims that the film is only 50 microns thick, making it practically invisible even when the LED is turned off. Considering that this addresses the only significant weakness of e-readers – being unusable in the dark – this technology is great news for e-readers indeed, and should help them make a stand against the multitasking tablets. Here’s a demo of the prototype:
Flex Lighting’s tech is kind of the reverse of Pixel Qi’s screen. Maybe these two companies should collaborate to create an all-purpose display. Check out The eBook Reader for more details on the LED film.
[via Engadget]
