Summary of Papyr – a Nordic nRF52840 e-paper display board
Papyr is a low-power Nordic nRF52840 e-paper display board designed for wireless applications. It supports BLE, Thread, and Zigbee protocols, enabling connectivity for devices like dynamic price tags or sensor displays. The board features an Android app for direct image transmission to the display. Its design prioritizes energy efficiency by combining e-paper technology with Bluetooth Low Energy, offering versatile options for connected IoT solutions requiring minimal power consumption.
Parts used in the Papyr Project:
- Raytac MDBT50 module with Nordic nRF52840 BLE/802.15.4 SoC
- 1.54 inch 200×200 pixel red/black/white epaper display
- CR2477 coin cell holder
- Micro USB (device) port
- RGB LED
- NFC (PCB) antenna
- Push button
- USB/Battery power switch
- Extra GPIOs
- SWD Programming header
- Mounting holes
Papyr is a Nordic nRF52840 epaper display that can be used for various low power wireless applications. It supports both BLE (BLE5, BLE Mesh) and 802.15.4 (Thread, Zigbee). The accompanying Android App will allow you to draw a shape or select and image and send it directly to the e-paper display.
With the exploding number of connected devices being deployed, power consumption is a major concern. Technologies like BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) are built from the ground up with low power consumption in mind. Another technology which is extremely low power is the e-paper display, which was made famous by its adoption by Amazon for the Kindle devices. Papyr from Electronut labs combines these two core ideas – a low power wireless technology combined with a low power display system. By choosing the Nordic nRF52840 SoC, Papyr is able to support not only BLE but mesh networking protocols like Thread, BLE Mesh, and Zigbee. Papyr has many extras too – like build in NFC antenna for BLE pairing or Thread commissioning, CR2477 battery holder, micro USB port, extra GPIOs, RGB LED, etc. There are a lot of applications possible with Papyr – dynamic price tags for example, or sensor data display in a mesh network. Papyr can be used anywhere you need a low power, connected display.
Hardware Specifications
- Raytac MDBT50 module with Nordic nRF52840 BLE/802.15.4 SoC
- 1.54 inch 200×200 pixel red/black/white epaper display
- CR2477 coin cell holder
- Micro USB (device)
- RGB LED
- NFC (PCB) antenna
- Push button
- USB/Battery power switch
- Extra GPIOs
- SWD Programming header
- Mounting holes
Read more: Papyr – a Nordic nRF52840 e-paper display board
- What wireless protocols does Papyr support?
Papyr supports BLE including BLE5 and BLE Mesh, as well as 802.15.4 protocols like Thread and Zigbee. - How can users send images to the display?
The accompanying Android App allows users to draw a shape or select an image to send directly to the e-paper display. - What type of battery does Papyr use?
The device includes a CR2477 coin cell holder for power. - Can Papyr be used for dynamic price tags?
Yes, dynamic price tags are listed as one of the possible applications for this device. - Does Papyr have NFC capabilities?
Yes, it has a built-in NFC antenna for BLE pairing or Thread commissioning. - What is the resolution of the e-paper display?
The display is a 1.54 inch screen with a resolution of 200×200 pixels in red, black, and white. - How is the device powered?
The board features a USB/Battery power switch allowing operation via Micro USB or the CR2477 battery. - Is there an interface for programming the board?
Yes, the hardware specifications list an SWD Programming header for development.
