We’ve been intrigued with the concept of flexible displays for a while, as their lighter weight and bendable structure make them ideal pocket companions. Researchers at the Human Media Lab at Canada’s Queen’s University must agree; they’ve created a fully functioning E Ink smartphone which conforms to the shape of a user’s purse or pocket.
Called the “PaperPhone,” this device can make and accept calls, store eBooks, and play music. There’s even a built-in Wacom tablet for drawing. Underneath the 3.7-inch display, a flexible printed circuit with “resistive bend” sensors allows users to interact with the device using various bending gestures, such as flipping the corner to turn a page in an eBook.
Speaking to Gizmag, Roel Vertegaal, the head of the Human Media Lab, said that the PaperPhone is meant to operate like a sheet of interactive paper. Perhaps the last holdouts against the eReader phenomenon will be converted by the phone’s more tactile interface. Another bonus: When the device isn’t being operated, it consumes zero electricity. Needless to say, we can’t to have a PaperPhone in our pocket—however far away that day may be.
via Gizmag
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