ePaper pioneer E Ink has introduced a new touchpad solution for laptops that’s based on its non-conventional display technology. Set to appear in upcoming, but yet to be announced AI PCs, the new touchpad combines colour ePaper with traditional laptop input functions, creating a dual-purpose display and control surface.
According to E Ink, this is achieved as part of a collaboration with Intel using Smart Base, Innovation Platform Framework (IPF) and AI Assistant Builder tools. This integration brings a low-power, always-visible second screen on a laptop, that’s capable of displaying system notifications, AI-generated content, weather updates, meeting transcripts and more. The company adds that the ePaper touchpad will also remain functional even when the main device is powered off.
For the uninitiated, E Ink’s solution leverages the paper-like readability and sunlight visibility of ePaper while retaining standard touchpad responsiveness. Since ePaper consumes energy only during content changes, it significantly reduces power draw compared to traditional emissive displays. It also offers reduced eye strain, owing to its non-flickering, reflective nature.
Through Intel’s ecosystem, E Ink’s modules are designed to be ultra-thin and energy-efficient, aligning with the compact and performance-driven demands of AI PC designs. AI capabilities embedded via Intel’s platforms enable real-time tasks such as text and image summaries, gaming strategy displays, or personalised assistant functions.
As mentioned earlier, we’ve yet to find out which brands will actually incorporate this new technology to their laptop releases. Nevertheless, it is looking to be an interesting addition, especially for professional and creative users.
(Source: E Ink [official website])
