M5Stack Launches ESP32-Powered M5Paper with 4.7" E Ink Touchscreen Display
Designed as a standalone device, but with three ports for external M5Stack add-ons, the M5Paper makes for a great low-power display.
M5Stack has announced a new entry in its microcontroller development platform family, this time offering an E Ink display for ultra-low-power always-on sunlight-readable display projects: the M5Paper.
Designed as a follow-on from the company's earlier M5Stack Core Ink module, the M5Paper is an all-in-one device built around the Espressif ESP32-D0WD microcontroller module. The front of the smartphone-shaped gadget is dominated by the screen, a GT911 capacitive touchscreen with a 16-level grayscale E Ink display offering a 960x540 resolution behind anti-glare tempered glass.
"Compared to a regular LCD," the company explains, "E Ink displays are easier on the eyes, which makes them a great choice for reading or viewing for longer periods. The M5Paper has ultra low power consumption, basically power is only required for refreshing and keeps displaying previous content for a long time even when powered down."
The rear of the device includes, in typical M5Stack fashion, a quick-reference guide to the device's various features: an STH30 temperature and humidity sensor, BM8563 real-time clock (RTC), microSD storage, three HY2.0-4P ports for M5Stack hardware modules, multifunction user-programmable buttons, and a built-in magnet for attaching the unit to surfaces.
Power comes courtesy of a 1,150mAh lithium-polymer battery, charged via a USB Type-C port — which provides a data connection for programming in M5Stack's in-house UIFlow, the Arduino IDE, or MicroPython. The microcontroller also boasts 16Mb flash memory and a 256kB EEPROM, along with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. The company is positioning the new device as ideal for projects ranging from a control panel for a smart home system through to a pocketable e-reader.
The M5Paper is now available from the official website.