RL78 eInk Evaluation Board

Overview

The 02170-100 is an evaluation platform designed to demonstrate the integration of Renesas RL78 microcontrollers with ultra-low power ePaper display technology. This board features a segment-based electronic paper display (EPD) that maintains an image without any power consumption. It is specifically engineered for testing high-contrast, sunlight-readable user interfaces in battery-constrained environments.

Why Choose This Part

The board demonstrates a remarkably low update current of 0.5 micro-amps per cm2, making it ideal for systems powered by coin cells or energy harvesting. Its high-contrast segment display remains perfectly legible under direct sunlight, unlike standard LCD or OLED technologies. The platform operates across a wide voltage range of 5V to 15V, providing flexibility for various industrial power rails.

Applications

Getting Started

Engineers can begin development by connecting the board to a Renesas RL78-based MCU using the 15-pin FPC connector. Use the IAR Embedded Workbench or Renesas e2 studio IDE to implement display update routines. Since the EPD requires no power for image retention, initial testing should focus on optimizing the transition timing between display segments.