E-Ink
Electronic paper, e-paper or e-ink, was still a relatively new technology in 2010 and as there was a company near by our office in the Netherlands working with this technology I started to think of different ideas we could create for them. One of the ideas, which I worked out further to what you see here was a remote control using e-ink. This was an entry for the Red Dot Design Awards 2010.Technology
The design is made from a one-piece aluminium CNC body and works with a split, flat PCB. The electronic paper on top is a foil glued on curved glass acting as a carrier. The solar panel on the bottom is made from amorphous silicone photovoltaic cells, less powerful than crystalline photovoltaic cells but more than sufficient for an application like this. The solar panel is dye printed on foil and glued on a curved glass, similar to the electronic paper. Although I would go for a flat design these days simply to avoid difficulties in manufacturing, at the time of designing, ten years ago, I chose a curved design considering the ergonomics benefits it brings (picking up, aiming, etc).Interface & Design
The design is a uni-body made from aluminium to distinguish it from cheap plastic remote controls we are taking for granted. The curved design is meant to facilitate pickup up from flat surfaces, for easier aiming at the TV or receiver, etc. The interface can be changed by the user as preferred to accomodate for small or bigger, more readible buttons, go for overall less buttons or, as shown in the pictures below, a complete graphic interface showing logos of the different channels available. New designs for the interface can be uploaded via the audio-jack. We decided to implement two IR-transmitters in case people decide to use it in portrait mode, for low-speed games, etc.Collaborate
Currently, we are not exploring this design-concept any further. If you are interested in collaboration, building a prototype or even production, please contact us here or send us an email for further discussion.
