It has been reported this week that Plastic Logic, an innovative company founded by researchers from Cambridge University, have come up with the concept of a new type of paper – and it is made from plastic. This could be a great move for the future, as paper is one of the most wasted materials in the world. With millions of people not bothering to re-use or recycle, this new plastic concept could essentially bring an end to this.
The plastic paper has been developed thanks to Plastic Logic’s revolutionary invention of plastic transistor technology that has made it possible for electronics to be manufactured on flexible plastic sheets. The company has the world’s leading group of plastic electronics experts on its team, and it looks as if they have been set up for a massive win.
The company have developed an incredible display, which is literally the thickness of a piece of paper. It is completely flexible – imagine an iPad with the ability to bend and curl. The process used to create the paper is low temperature, which means that transistors are able to be built straight onto everyday plastic materials. Millions of transistors in each backplane mean that there is an extremely high level of detail in the finished display.
Could this be the end of the traditional pen and paper for good? We will have to wait and see, but one thing is for sure – plastic paper truly is mind bending!