Electronic paper developed by UK consortium
1
that all facilities are available. In the event of a processor failure, the other unit will maintain the system operation without inter- ruption, raise the alarm and pro- vide the information that its partner is no longer operational. Air tra~ac controllers work under great pressure, and it helps maintain their ~ if they are presented with instantaneous, dear, ~ o u s information, free frem disturbing flicker or reflection. The man-machine interface and display demands of the system are therefore also of tremendous importance. Dowty uses its Supervisor SBD local area network graphics controllers, which have a direct Ethernet interface for high-speed graphics command communi- cation and can thus meet the high picture-update rate required. The Supervisor systems also have the high resolution and non-interlaced display needed to provide the necessary clarity and picture stsb~ty. The display monitors them- selves have to work in high ambient light conditions, and high- brightness CRTs are therefore used. Dow~j lnforn~tion ~ Ltd, Newbury Bnsinems Park, London Road, Newbury, Berks RG]3 ~DZ, DE. Tel: (0838) 38009, Telex: 848446 Electronic paper develeped by UK consortium 'Electronic paper', a concept based on enabling technology developed by the National Physicel Laboratory ( I ~ ) , ',rE, has been devised to allow a user to interact with a computer by w,it- ing in his own natural style on a thin fiat display panel. The system will track the pen as the user writes, undexs~and what is meant and display the result. This means that people will be able to use it without the need for training or recourse to instruction manuals. The diverse range of skills required to develop electronic paper, including paltern recog- nition, fiat panel display and trans- parent digitizer technology, made it appropriate for NPL to set up a coruiortium in order to bring together the available UK exper- ~se. A partner of NPL in the consor- tium is the Advanced Technology and Telecommunications Division of the CAmtral Computer and Tele- communications Agency (CCTA). The initial areas of exploitation will be selected by CCTA. The Opto-Electronics Branch of the CCTA, NPL and Datasystems UK Ltd have been involved in the development of a prototype com- puter peripheral known as the PAD (pen and diaplay). The PAD consists of a fiat panel plasma display; a high resolution, trans- parent digitizer overlay; a stylus (pen) and a single board com- puter controller. The PAD can work in stand-alone mode or as a peripheral to a host computer. To operate the device, one simply picks up the pen and writes on the display screen, which is laid fiat on the desk. NPL's role in the development of electronic paper is in the area of automatic recognition of hand- writing, sketches and symbols, and to help develop a prototype to demonstrate the potential of electronic paper to manufacturers and users. A number of software modules have been developed. These include text editing, table drawing and barchart production. Software is being written that will enable the recognition of cursive script (freehand joined-up writing). Hardware for the project has been specified as the result of joint discussions between NPL, CCTA High resolution for Mac Resolution of 1 884 × 1 200 pixels features on the LaserView D,rplay System from Sigma Design. The system is available in two con- figurations designed to support Apple's Macintosh SE and Macintosh H personal computers. Aimed at daskmp publishing and CAD/CAM/CAE applicatimw, the system consists of a high- resolution adapter board and a choice of 18 inch or 19 inch monitors. Both are landscape- mounted and have paper-white phosphor screens. The scan frequency is 74.78 kHz and the refresh rate is 80 Hz, non- interlaced. This, along with a high bandwidth of 180 MHz, allows beth monitors to provide a steady, flicker free display. LaserView was initially released in a different configuration late last year and has been marketed to users of IBM PC, XT and AT com- puters working with desktop pub- lishing and critical CAD/CAM applications. The systems are being di=t=Jbuted in the UK by Katakana. Eatakans Ltd, Manhattan House, SnUgs Road, Maidenhead, Berk~ 8L6 ~B, ~. Tel: (0888) 78841, Telex: 8478~ ~ [] and Datasystems UK Ltd. It has been designed and built by Data- systems, a start-up company originally associated with the Computer Science Depa~t,k~ent of Nottingham University. Electronic paper is designed for use by those who require imme- diate capture, correction or confi- dentiality of information. The first users are likely to be specialist professionals and top manage- ment. Na~onal Phy~cal I~boratory, Queens Road, Teddington, l~ddJeser TWII OLW, liE. Tel: 01-81T.~ [] DISPLAYS, JULY 1987 159
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Transcript of Electronic paper developed by UK consortium
that all facilities are available. In the event of a processor failure, the other unit will maintain the system operation without inter- ruption, raise the alarm and pro- vide the information that its partner is no longer operational.
Air tra~ac controllers work under great pressure , and it helps maintain their ~ if they are presented with instantaneous, dear, ~ o u s information, free frem disturbing flicker or reflection. The man-machine interface and display demands of the system are therefore also of t remendous importance.
Dowty uses its Supervisor SBD local area network graphics
controllers, which have a direct Ethernet interface for high-speed graphics command communi- cation and can thus meet the high picture-update rate required. The Supervisor systems also have the high resolution and non-interlaced display n e e d e d to provide the necessary clarity and picture stsb~ty.
The display monitors them- selves have to work in high ambient light conditions, and high- brightness CRTs are therefore used.
Dow~j lnforn~tion ~ Ltd, Newbury Bnsinems Park, London Road, Newbury, Berks RG]3 ~DZ, DE. Tel: (0838) 38009, Telex: 848446
Electronic paper develeped by UK consort ium 'Electronic paper ' , a concept based on enabling technology deve loped b y the National Physicel Laboratory ( I ~ ) , ',rE, has been devised to allow a user to interact with a computer b y w,it- ing in his own natural style on a thin fiat display panel. The system will track the pen as the user writes, undexs~and what is meant and display the result. This means that people will b e able to use it without the need for training or recourse to instruction manuals.
The diverse range of skills required to deve lop electronic paper, including paltern recog- nition, fiat panel display and trans- parent digitizer technology, made it appropriate for NPL to set up a coruiortium in o rder to bring together the available UK exper- ~se.
A partner of NPL in the consor- tium is the Advanced Technology and Telecommunications Division of the CAmtral Computer and Tele- communications Agency (CCTA). The initial areas of exploitation will b e selected b y CCTA.
The Opto-Electronics Branch of the CCTA, NPL and Datasystems UK Ltd have been involved in the development of a prototype com- puter peripheral known as the PAD (pen and diaplay). The PAD consists of a fiat panel plasma display; a high resolution, trans- parent digitizer overlay; a stylus (pen) and a single board com- puter controller. The PAD can work in stand-alone mode or as a peripheral to a host computer. To operate the device, one simply picks up the pen and writes on the display screen, which is laid fiat on the desk.
NPL's role in the development of electronic paper is in the area of automatic recognition of hand- writing, sketches and symbols, and to help develop a prototype to demonstrate the potential of electronic paper to manufacturers and users. A number of software modules have been developed. These include text editing, table drawing and barchart production. Software is being written that will enable the recognition of cursive script (freehand joined-up writing).
Hardware for the project has been specified as the result of joint discussions be tween NPL, CCTA
High resolution for Mac Resolution of 1 884 × 1 200 pixels features on the LaserView D,rplay System from Sigma Design. The system is available in two con- figurations des igned to support Apple 's Macintosh SE and Macintosh H personal computers.
Aimed at daskmp publishing and CAD/CAM/CAE applicatimw, the system consists of a high- resolution adapter board and a choice of 18 inch or 19 inch monitors. Both are landscape- mounted and have paper-white phosphor screens.
The scan f requency is 74.78 kHz and the refresh rate is 80 Hz, non- interlaced. This, along with a high bandwidth of 180 MHz, allows beth monitors to provide a steady, flicker free display.
LaserView was initially re leased in a different configuration late last year and has b e e n marketed to users of IBM PC, XT and AT com- puters working with desktop pub- lishing and critical CAD/CAM applications. The systems are being di=t=Jbuted in the UK by Katakana.
Eatakans Ltd, Manhattan House, SnUgs Road, Maidenhead, Berk~ 8L6 ~ B , ~ . Tel: (0888) 78841, Telex: 8478~ ~ []
and Datasystems UK Ltd. It has been des igned and built b y Data- systems, a start-up company originally associated with the Computer Science Depa~t,k~ent of Nottingham University.
Electronic paper is des igned for use by those who require imme- diate capture, correction or confi- dentiality of information. The first users are likely to b e specialist professionals and top manage- ment. Na~onal Phy~cal I~boratory,
Queens Road, Teddington, l~ddJeser TWII OLW, liE. Tel: 0 1 - 8 1 T . ~ []
DISPLAYS, JULY 1987 159
