Powerless Display Technology (Part 1)

Interface an MCU to an E-Ink Display Module You can interface a microcontroller to a 2.7” e-ink display module (consisting of the display and associated circuitry). The application displays a menu of selections via the microcontroller’s console I/O. Electronic displays of all sizes are a part of our everyday lives. You can’t even get gas without the pump’s display touting the “hot coffee” or other enticing products located inside the associated convenience store. Personally, while I dislike the unstoppable intrusion of my personal space that displays seem to achieve, I appreciate the dimension a display gives me when I need to convey more than an On or Off state. For those of you who have included a display in any of your projects that must be “low power,” you realize that low power and display are opposing requirements. If the display must remain on, your circuit can hardly be considered low power. Even with back lighting off, the display requires constant power that will soon suck your circuit dry. You might own a paper-white e-reader, which is a special display has the unique property of remembering its forced state, even when the display has been turned off. This technology is only about 20 years old, but it isn’t widely used because of its present drawbacks. For instance, the display requires special handling, it has a relatively slow refresh process, and it’s limited to black and white. Forget using this for any kind of video presentation; however, if you need a “no power” display, then check it out. In this article, I’ll explain how I interfaced an Arduino MEGA 2560 microcontroller to a 2.7” e-ink display module. Consisting of the display and associated circuitry, the application displays a menu of selections via the microcontroller’s console I/O. E-INK Obviously, there is no real ink involved in “e-ink.” The reflective technology increases contrast as ambient light increases. The pixel concept is