Change of image

Pioneering electronic display technology that could replace paper labels or signs in a host of applications will begin UK trials this summer.

Developed by Malvern-based ZBD Displays, the ‘zero power’ LCD screens will be installed in July at a branch of a leading UK supermarket.

ZBD business development manager Manoj Thanigasalam declined to reveal the identity of the supermarket, but confirmed that, if the trials are successful, the system will be rolled out across a number of branches.

The technology differs considerably from existing LCD screens that require an image to be rewritten at least 30 times every second. Instead, ZBD’s passive matrix LCD display only uses power when the image is changed. When the device is switched off, the information remains visible.

The display relies on liquid crystal molecules that have two stable energy states in which they reflect either black or white. These molecules are sandwiched between two surfaces, which have been stamped to form a series of tiny grooves and ridges. This grating surface aligns the molecules into their stable positions. Each molecule can be switched between the two states using a very low amount of electricity.