Energy-Aware E-Paper Driving: Open Waveforms for Sustainable, Low-Power Displays

<p>E-Paper technology is often highlighted for its reflective readability and near-zero static power consumption, making it an attractive choice in a world where digital displays are becoming increasingly ubiquitous. From public transport signage to smart meters and IoT devices, the number of deployed displays continues to grow—and with it, the cumulative energy they consume. A sustainable future does not require removing or avoiding displays, but rather designing and driving them intelligently.</p> <p>If you work with E-Paper displays, you will inevitably encounter a situation where the manufacturer provides only partially documented driver code—or, in many cases, a binary blob packed with initialization parameters and so-called waveform lookup tables (LUTs). Experimenting with these values often leads to unwanted side effects such as ghosting, low contrast, long-term image retention, or even permanently damaged panels. A solid understanding of the physics behind E-Paper driving is essential for safely modifying LUTs and optimizing them for lower active energy usage through improved waveform design and voltage-generation strategies. In this talk, we break down the electrical and algorithmic principles that govern E-Paper operation and show how waveform LUTs influence update speed, ghosting behavior, image quality, and—critically—energy consumption.</p> <p>Key Takeaways</p> <ul> <li>Understand why display energy matters in a world with rapidly increasing numbers of screens—and how E-Paper fits into a sustainable future.</li> <li>Learn the physical and algorithmic principles behind E-Paper waveform driving and how LUTs impact image quality, speed, ghosting, and energy use.</li> </ul> <p>Links: https://github.com/Blueloop/E-Paper-driving-Waveforms https://matrix.to/#/!xlOgXcWcKOYkMyPsIg:matrix.org?via=matrix.org https://lcd-mikroelektronik.de/news/e-paper-waveforms/ https://lcd-mikroelektronik.de/kategorie/e-paper/</p>