Linux-based development kit

Linux-based development kit

E Ink's development kit includes "everything needed" to prototype electronic book readers and other mobile devices, the company claims.

Electronic paper development kit

The EPD module included in E Ink's AM-100 kit is based on a piece of imaging film laminated to a glass-based TFT (thin-film transistor). The module is manufactured by Prime View International (PVI) of Taiwan, which will handle any high-volume purchases, E Ink says.

In addition to an EPD, the AM-100 kit includes a Gumstix module. Gumstix modules are tiny SBCs (single-board computer) based on an Intel XScale PXA255 SoC (system-on-chip) processor, with on-board power supplies enabling them to be powered by batteries. I/O interfaces include BlueTooth, MMC, and USB.

The kit's SBC module comes preloaded with Linux and a variety of open source drivers and applications, E Ink says.

E-Ink senior electrical engineer Holly Gates said, "Most of our customers want to make working prototypes that are portable. So we put the control electronics onto a tiny board."