For those who deal with fatigue while looking at a screen, there’s always paper.Modos Tech has officially announced the Crowd Supply pre-launchof its Modos Paper Monitor, which is an open-source E-ink display that also comes with a separate development kit for users who wish to use their own E-ink display with the Modos Paper’s display controller.
This project is the brainchild of Alexander Soto, who describes a journey starting in February 2021 to defeat the eyestrain that comes with daily extended use of standard displays. When speaking to writers, programmers, students, doctors, engineers, other professionals, and those with health issues or impairments, he found many shared his name issue.
Working with Dave Crossland and Wenting Zhang, (aka @zephray_wenting who you may remember for documenting his adventures with aprison laptop), Soto successfully created his ideal monitor. Since its software and hardware are both open-sourced viaGitHub, ambitious enough DIYers may be enabled to create this display or a similar display for themselves.
Modos Tech Paper Monitor Core Specs
For many, the most important aspect may be the low latench. Modos is promising “a consistent < 120ms latency, compared to competitors, up to 270ms latency,” which would make it pretty fast.
Modos Tech Paper Monitor Display Modes
The Modos Paper Monitor does look pretty interesting, though we’re still waiting for more solid information on a release window and pricing. E-Ink monitors can actually run a pretty premium, as proven byDasung’s Paperlike 253Uwhich retails for $1,698 despite being a 25.3-inch monitor.
In any case, those who are interested can submit their information to the Modos Paper Monitor’sCrowd Supply pageto be kept in the loop for future updates. This does seem like a nice companion for those wanting to reduce their eyestrain, though its small size makes it seem more like a laptop companion than a desktop-appropriate display.
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Christopher Harper has been a successful freelance tech writer specializing in PC hardware and gaming since 2015, and ghostwrote for various B2B clients in High School before that. Outside of work, Christopher is best known to friends and rivals as an active competitive player in various eSports (particularly fighting games and arena shooters) and a purveyor of music ranging from Jimi Hendrix to Killer Mike to the Sonic Adventure 2 soundtrack.
