E INK is a company that utterly dominates the e-notebook and e-reader markets. The Amazon Kindle, Barnes and Noble Nook and Rakuten Kobo all employ these e-paper displays that make reading easy on the eyes. Did you know that E INK tech is found in surprising places? From robot dogs to cars to toilets. E INK is everywhere, all at once.

Xiaomi CyberDog 2

The Xiaomi CyberDog 2, came out in 2023. This second-generation automated animal looks like a Doberman. What sets the CyberDog 2 apart is its tricks. This digital dog can do pushups and back flips; the coolest part is that it can change colour. Its “skin” is made from E Ink Prism film, so it can dynamically change colour or pattern based on what it’s doing.

The flexibility of the E Ink Prism display technology allows for its application on diverse surfaces, accommodating varying shapes, sizes, and contours. We have seen the same being famously put to use on the BMW iVision Dee concept car earlier in the ear.

Cream Guitar

Cream Guitars launched a guitar equipped with colour-changing e-paper display technology in 2023. The ability to change the guitar’s colour on the fly during a show adds a new visual dimension to concerts and performances.

One of the most exciting things about this guitar is that it utilizes E-Ink Prism 3 colour-changing electronic paper display technology that wowed the exterior of the BMW iX Flow SUV at CES. The guitar can be switched between different colours and controlled via a smartphone app. The player can connect the guitar wirelessly through the mobile phone and control the colour changes according to the rhythm and emotion of the music.

Colour-changing e-paper toilet

Kohler showcased their cutting-edge creation in 2023, incorporating Yuantai’s dynamic colour-changing and bendable E Ink Prism electronic paper that is also easy to cut to give it the shape you need it to be. This remarkable material not only bestows the boutique toilet with a timeless and sleek geometric shape but also constantly evolves, showcasing vibrant colours and customization patterns, creating a unique and captivating atmosphere within the confines of one’s home.

NUMI smart toilet represents the pinnacle of Kohler’s product offerings, and through this collaboration with Yuantai, e-paper finds its way into bath facilities for the first time. Modern bathroom fixtures are no longer limited to mere functionality; they offer users an immersive sensory experience through sound and light. By leveraging the colour-changing surface made possible by e-paper, the toilet can transport individuals to diverse settings such as lush forests, tranquil beaches, or the refreshing embrace of the morning sun.

BMW iX Flow

The German automaker named it the BMW iX Flow concept car that uses E Ink’s electronic paper technology, the same found on popular e-reader devices such as the Amazon Kindle. With the electric SUV, the electrophoretic technology of the E Ink display is used to change the exterior colour so that the SUV changes its colour from black to white and then back to black almost instantaneously.

In reality, it is a self-adhesive film pasted onto the car’s exterior that changes the colour and not the actual paint of the vehicle itself. In any case, the car can only be ordered in black or white, and the panels can interchange the colours at the flick of a switch from the inside. While changing the colours can be a lot of fun, it is also practical. For instance, keeping the exterior colour white will make sense on a hot summer day, while changing it to black during snow will make the car preserve internal heat while also enhancing its external visibility.

The external E Ink skin can also be used to display information that would benefit a car used as a taxi more than a personal vehicle. A particular colour will indicate whether it is available for ride-sharing. Possibilities can be immense, though the ground reality is that it is still a concept vehicle, and no one is sure when it will reach markets. In any case, a colour-changing concept car did achieve what its makers perhaps had set out to achieve: making a splash at the CES 2022, which it did in style.

Delvaux Handbag

Founded in 1829, Delvaux has remained at the forefront of luxury leather goods for nearly two centuries because of its savoir-faire, uncompromising craftsmanship, and the outstanding quality of its creations. The visionary and pragmatic Brussels-based luggage maker foresaw the travel revolution approaching and filed its first world patent for a woman’s leather handbag in 1908 with ‘le Princesse,’ becoming the inventor of the modern handbag.

Inspired by E Ink’s colour-changing Prism film—dynamic electronic ink technology defined by its fully programable, reflective, and low power consumption—Delvaux imagined redefining what luxury can be. Over the past two years, E Ink and Delvaux have worked closely together to push the boundaries of technology – ultimately creating a product that weaves material innovation and leather mastery together to create a unique and personalized experience.

“Our Helios project unifies extreme tradition with extreme innovation. Once more, it’s the fruit of an encounter and truly collaborative work which started more than two years ago between E Ink’s and Delvaux’s teams,” said Jean-Marc Loubier, Delvaux’s CEO. “The start, in January 2022, is the discovery of E Ink’s innovative technology with new materials, light, and colours at CES in Las Vegas. Our project demonstrates the drive to combine this extraordinary tech with our leather mastery and create outstanding daily-use bags. Commitment and collaboration pushed our two companies well beyond their comfort zones to reach a historic result.”

“E Ink has explored how to integrate our films into textiles for several years,” said Tim O’Malley, Associate Vice President of E Ink’s US Business Unit. “In Delvaux, we found a partner who had the vision to imagine new possibilities for how the two materials could work together harmoniously. The resulting designs highlight how innovative materials like E Ink Prism can be seamlessly woven into a traditional material, honouring history and the future.