HP Uses Solar Power and E-Ink to Improve the Military

The dream of harnessing solar power whenever and wherever one happens to be has been the subject in many Sci Fi novels and movies and is generally seen as one of the most approachable and feasible solutions for inexhaustible energy. As such, it makes sense to think that it won't be long before solar power plants stop being the only means of putting this energy to use. In fact, it is possible that working prototypes of sun-powered gadgets will appear by next year.

Though it is best known for being a PC supplier, Hewlett-Packard is definitely not restricted to that sector, especially now that it has come up with a devious plan to provide the military with solar-powered wrist displays. When deployed on a mission, soldiers often make use of GPS devices and other electronics which, while they may be able to last for days, are unlikely to live through multi-week-long missions, even with spare batteries. Seeing that the screen itself is the most power-hungry part of such gadgets, HP has decided to do something about it.

End-users are likely very familiar with E-Ink displays, seeing how popular e-readers have become. These displays consume very little power because they only use electricity when refreshing a page. It is this that enables gadgets based on them to run for days on end without battery recharge. Not only that, but they are also only 200 microns thin (a little thicker than a human hair) and is also bendable and hardier than other solutions.

HP will combine the advantages of e-ink with the advantage of solar power, abundant on all areas of the globe except for the polar regions, where nights can last for up to six months, with the end-result being an electronic that never runs out of power. The first wrist display prototypes should be completed by the start of 2011.