Just touch a paper label on a product with your finger, and detailed information about the product's composition and values will instantly appear on your mobile phone or tablet. Swedish company Ericsson presented at the MWC technology trade fair in Barcelona the concept of Connected Paper, which could eventually become part of our everyday lives.
How does it work? You touch, for example, a label on a food product packaging, which activates the electronics and sends a signal through your body, which serves as a conductor, to the smartphone in your other hand, where information about the product's composition, expiration date, suitability for your diet, etc. immediately appears. The paper sticker is equipped on its back side with a touch sensor, chip, printed antenna, and flat battery. The possibilities for using electronic labels are wide. Gone will be the days of deciphering often nearly illegible information on products in stores, as well as any manipulation of their expiration dates - electronic labels will reveal everything. A postal package equipped this way will record in detail the entire journey from sender to recipient. An electronic label on a medicine box will contain all important information about the medication, its administration, use, contraindications, and expiration date. You can even get an instant translation into your native language with just a single touch of a poster or information board in a foreign language. And these are just a few examples - electronic paper will be applied in various industries from consumer goods through healthcare, IT to the automotive and entertainment industries. You can watch more on this topic in this video. red