Press Release

Solomon Systech’s E-Paper Technology Enables Electronic Shelf Labels in HKSTP’s Unmanned Retail Outlet

The Energy-efficient Display Technology Ready for Enhancing Multiple Smart City Applications

(HONG KONG, 23 August 2019) Solomon Systech Limited (“Solomon Systech”/”SSL”), a Hong Kong Science and Technology Parks Corporation (HKSTP) partner company, is pleased to announce that its bistable display (E-Paper) driver Integrated Circuit (“IC”) has been adopted for use in Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) currently in operation at the T-Shop & Lab, an unmanned retail shop located at Hong Kong Science Park. Apart from facilitating retail digitisation and automation, this technology with its pioneering energy-efficient feature can also be integrated into a myriad of applications for Smart City solutions.

Launched in January 2019 as part of HKSTP’s “Journey to a Smart City – An Innovation Showcase”, the T-Shop & Lab is the first retail shop set up at Hong Kong Science Park to provide an unmanned shopping experience to the public and a platform for showcasing related unmanned technologies.

E-Paper technology is a catalyst for retail digitisation and automation, which is fast becoming a new global trend. ESLs offer many advantages for retailers, such as enabling flexible inventory control, reducing overheads costs, allowing for dynamic and highly accurate online and offline pricing strategies, improving brand image, while enhancing the shopping experience with a clearer view of product prices. (Please refer to the attached fact sheet on ESLs for more details).

Raymond Wang, CEO, Solomon Systech Limited, said, “Our E-Paper display driver IC for ESLs has already been adopted for use in a number of renowned supermarkets, unmanned stores and convenient stores in China, Singapore, Japan, Korea, Europe and US. We are most delighted to be one of the members to support HKSTP’s T-Shop & Lab, and we believe that ESLs will very soon gain wide acceptance in Hong Kong.

Solomon Systech has been a forerunner of E-Paper technology. Our E-Paper display driver IC powers the world’s first E-Paper mobile phone. Currently we are the market leader and we see strong growth potential for this technology. Apart from ESL, E-Paper technology is being widely adopted in applications including smart home appliances, wearable devices, IoT and smart healthcare solutions. It is also the perfect fit for the “Paperless Hospital Services” advocated by the government. With a more connected world on the horizon, E-Paper is the technology-of-choice fostering the growth of smart cities in the IoT era,” Mr. Wang added.

Peter Yeung, Head of Electronics & ICT Clusters, Smart City Platform, HKSTP, said, “We are proud to see Solomon Systech’s technology being tested and applied in such a practical solution for an unmanned retail experience, adding many new functionalities and benefits in running a physical outlet.

Science Park will continue to provide a living laboratory for our park companies to test and fine-tune their solutions for deployment in a real-world environment. The Smart City experiences that we are testing and showcasing at the Park provide a live demonstration for potential commercial partners and investors and exemplify how we can all benefit from innovations in our daily lives.”

Solomon Systech Limited’s bistable display (E-Paper) driver Integrated Circuit has been adopted for use in Electronic Shelf Labels (ESLs) currently in operation at the T-Shop & Lab located at Hong Kong Science Park.

T-Shop & Lab is the first retail shop set up at Hong Kong Science Park to provide an unmanned shopping experience to the public and a platform for showcasing related unmanned technologies.