Seiko Epson (Epson) is known as one of the main developers of new technologies. It is not the first though. However, after launching some weeks ago the A6-size (7.1 inches diagonal) electronic paper by using a plastic substrate (delivers the world's highest Quad-XGA resolution (1536 x 2048 pixels)), the company announced it has already created the prototype of another breakthrough - the paper-thin fingerprint sensor measuring 0.2 millimeter in thickness, which is meant to enhance the security of your things.

More precisely, when you press your finger against it, then the sensor reads fingerprint patterns based on the faint electric current emanating from your fingertip confirming your access to that particular item.

Because it is an ultra thin sensor, it can be integrated into any item. Consequently, Epson recommends it for self-authenticating credit cards, in which a tiny on-card processor is used to compare the captured fingerprint data with the user's fingerprint data stored in an embedded memory.

The other innovation - the electronic paper - has been developed using SUFTLA1 technology reaching therefore the world's highest Quad-XGA resolution and showing the potential for increasing screen size. Officially, the progress was announced on June 9 at the Society for Information Display (SID) international symposium held in San Francisco.

In order to create this prototype, Epson has amassed a range of proprietary technologies including low temperature polysilicon thin film transistors (LTPS-TFT) and SUFTLA (Surface Free Technology by Laser Ablation /Annealing), which enables the transfer of TFT circuits to flexible substrates.