Prime View International is gearing up for mass production of flexible electrophoretic displays (EPDs) by the second quarter of 2009, with production of color displays soon to follow. The devices are the world’s first flexible active matrix EPD made in a volume thin film transistor (TFT) fab.  The move is in response to what the company believes is a new wave in the e-reading revolution. Much of the work will be done at Hydis, PVI’s Korean subsidiary. Since acquiring Hydis in mid-2008, PVI has shifted its EPD production to Hydis’ three facilities.

Prime View manufactures active matrix e-paper displays using TFT technology for the backplane with an electrophoretic frontplane using E Ink’s technology. The displays are made possible by a combination of MagicMirrorÒReflective Technology and the EPLaRprocess developed by Philips Research, to which PVI now has exclusive license. The company claims that its e-reading devices have an extensive battery life of up to 7,000 page turns per charge, equal to approximately 20-full-length books. In addition, since the products employ a Si gate (poly Si-gate) driver, the devices are more robust and compact. [via epapercentral]