Color-changing E Ink lets walls come alive
Do you think that the walls at your school or office just aren't sprightly enough? E Ink may have a way to liven things up. Its new Prism material lets buildings subtly change colors and patterns on the spot, without having to rely on banks of expensive digital displays that stick out like a sore thumb. It's more than just animated wallpaper, though. It can respond to input, such as a person walking by, and even works for furniture -- imagine a bench that changes its look every day. Prism sips only a tiny amount of power, too, so you don't need to keep things plugged in.
The main catch, at least right now, is that you can't buy Prism yourself. E Ink mostly intends Prism for building owners that can afford to buy big, made-to-order installations for stores and lobbies. With that said, it's easy to see the technology showing up in decorations and other parts of your home where it wouldn't hurt to spruce things up. Don't be surprised if you can one day change the art on your living room wall at a moment's notice.
