Wi-Charge, Digital View Partner On 13-Inch Wirelessly-Powered Color E-Paper Display

August 15, 2024 by Dave Haynes

The Israeli tech firm Wi-Charge‘s efforts to find display partners for its wireless power solution are starting to show some results – with word that it has partnered with the Silicon Valley-area display tech firm Digital View on a color e-paper display that can operate without wires or a need for battery swap-outs.

The display uses E Ink’s Spectra 6 e-paper technology, but includes an embedded wireless power receiver, and has on-board WiFi to get content and scheduling updates, as well as firmware updates.

It is a 13-inch display, and the wireless power nature of the device means it can be fixed pretty much anywhere within range of the wireless power transmitter, which kinda looks like one of those bagel-sized bluetooth speakers, or a ceiling security cam.

Wi-Charge has developed and marketed its own LCD displays – 5 and 7 inch color units meant to be used for applications like shelf-edge marketing in retail. The company has told me it is making those displays to somewhat seed the market and show what’s possible, but the goal is to hand that off to partners specifically in the display business, and focus on power distribution.

Working with e-paper displays opens up different possibilities, especially when it comes to size. The transmitted power of the current generation of Wi-Charge’s tech would not light up a 13-inch LCD, because of the energy demand, but it can drive this power-sipping 13-inch e-paper unit. E-paper displays only really consume power when what’s on the screen changes, and they don’t do video, which involves constant screen refreshes.

Power is more available in newer building designs, but the attraction of wireless is the ability to locate a screen where it will be most effective, and move it around as easily as a small framed photo. The other attraction is the ability to locate a display on things like glass divider walls – without needing to run what would be unsightly power cables. The so-called “Never Blank” bistable design of these displays means if power is lost, what’s on the screen just stays on – instead of the display going dark.

The electronics under the display are Digital View’s. The company has been around the signage sector for 20+ years, and along with a core business of making LCD display controllers, it was one of the earliest SaaS digital signage CMS companies in the market, trading under Digital View and then Digital View Media. That morphed into EnQii and then became what is now known as ComQi, which is owned now by the Taiwan display manufacturer AUO. The current Digital View is not related and has its own CMS software for E Ink, going under the name of Verdsign.

Just to add another twist to this, AUO is also working with E Ink on displays (E Ink is also based in Taiwan).

This display, says PR, is perfect for any indoor location where power is not readily accessible, the cost of cabling would be high, or where the display needs to be moved frequently. Some potential uses include:

• Retail Digital Signage: Easily display menus, promotions, and advertisements without the hassle of cabling.
• Galleries and Museums: Showcase changing exhibits or artworks seamlessly, providing flexibility and ease of use.
• Corporate Offices: Use for dynamic meeting room schedules, announcements, or internal communications in areas without easy access to power.
• Events and Exhibitions: Portable signage that can be moved as needed without worrying about power sources or unsightly cables.

The PR doesn’t include a price point, but typically the color e-paper displays are several multiples of same-sized LCD monitors. These sorts of things are not bought on price, but to solve deployment problems, reduce operating costs (power bills) and line up with an organization’s green initiatives.