EPD Extension Kit Gen 2

Pervasive Displays' EPD Extension Kit Generation 2 (EXT2) provides everything needed to get started in simplifying the evaluation of e-paper. Designed to operate in conjunction with the Texas Instruments LaunchPad series of microcontroller development kits, it features the standard pin headers on the rear of the board. On the top side, three connector variants are provided to interface with displays via flexible printed circuit (FPC) cable. These connectors support both the external timing controller (eTC) and internal timing controller (iTC) display types of the Aurora and Spectra series.

Supported displays range in size from 1.44-inch, 128 x 96 resolution to 12.2-inch, 960 x 768 resolution, and in black/white, black/white/red, and black/white/yellow for Aurora Ma, Aurora Mb, Aurora -25 (low-temperature displays), Spectra, and Spectra Yellow films. The integration of touch panels is supported by an additional connector that can be controlled via I²C, while front light guides each have a dedicated interface. A right-angled connector together with a multi-colored bridging cable simplifies the integration of other circuits and hardware systems with the platform.

Projects for selected LaunchPad platforms from the MSP430, MSP432, and Tiva C series can be found in the Texas Instruments integrated development environment Code Composer Studio™. E-paper display drivers are to be found as source code, easing both application debugging and system integration. The EXT2 sits across the LaunchPad with the bridging connector facing towards the bottom-most side of the board. For those only looking to demonstrate functionality, prebuilt binaries are also available that can be flashed onto the microcontroller using the standalone UniFlash programming utility.

The EXT2 can also be used in conjunction with PDi apps, a standalone software application from Pervasive Displays that simplifies testing. It allows a range of images to be downloaded to the display (global update) as well as providing a tool to create 1-bit bitmap images for the target display. The tool also demonstrates the F=fast update capability that only refreshes the pixels that need changing, increasing display update speed.

Providing a low-power alternative to conventional display technologies, the EXT2 development board is the perfect tool to discover the performance and durability of Pervasive Display’s e-paper technology.