The Napkin PC is a

concept Concepts are defined as abstract ideas. They are understood to be the fundamental building blocks of the concept behind principles, thoughts and beliefs. They play an important role in all aspects of cognition. As such, concepts are studied by s ...

for a next-generation computer entered into the 2009 Next-Gen PC Design Competition by Avery Holleman. The concept won first prize, the Chairman's Award. The

award An award, sometimes called a distinction, is something given to a recipient as a token of recognition of excellence in a certain field. When the token is a medal, ribbon or other item designed for wearing, it is known as a decoration. An awar ...

was personally presented to Holleman by

Microsoft Microsoft Corporation is an American multinational corporation, multinational technology company, technology corporation producing Software, computer software, consumer electronics, personal computers, and related services headquartered at th ...

founder

Bill Gates William Henry Gates III (born October 28, 1955) is an American business magnate and philanthropist. He is a co-founder of Microsoft, along with his late childhood friend Paul Allen. During his career at Microsoft, Gates held the positions ...

. Holleman received $20,000 in prize money for the accolade. There is currently no plan to build the device; it remains a concept. The technology is based on current technologies, like

e-paper Electronic paper, also sometimes electronic ink, e-ink or electrophoretic display, are display devices that mimic the appearance of ordinary ink on paper. Unlike conventional flat panel displays that emit light, an electronic paper display ...

and

radio frequency Radio frequency (RF) is the oscillation rate of an alternating electric current or voltage or of a magnetic, electric or electromagnetic field or mechanical system in the frequency range from around to around . This is roughly between the uppe ...

Design

A "napkin" holder functions as a base-station for the technology. The base-station is filled with e-paper "napkins", as well as a place for some coloured pens. The user can simply pick up a pen and interact with the napkin using the pen. The napkin and pen communicate using short-range RF technology, while both connect with the base-station using long-range RF waves. Holleman has also stated that the napkins can easily be shared. The napkins are also

modular Broadly speaking, modularity is the degree to which a system's components may be separated and recombined, often with the benefit of flexibility and variety in use. The concept of modularity is used primarily to reduce complexity by breaking a s ...

. The pen wirelessly powers the napkin when it comes into close range.

Production

Images of the concept released by Holleman show the device running a variant of Windows.{{cite web , url=http://www.yankodesign.com/2008/01/04/high-tech-napkins/ , title=High Tech Napkins , date=2008-01-04 , website=Yanko Design , accessdate=2014-11-12 Holleman hopes that the Napkin PC will encourage creative groups to collaborate better because of the

conference A conference is a meeting of two or more experts to discuss and exchange opinions or new information about a particular topic. Conferences can be used as a form of group decision-making, although discussion, not always decisions, are the main ...

abilities of the concept. The device will require very little power. It will rely on not a battery, but a single-layer flexible

circuit board A printed circuit board (PCB; also printed wiring board or PWB) is a medium used in electrical and electronic engineering to connect electronic components to one another in a controlled manner. It takes the form of a laminated sandwich stru ...

for inductive power. Holleman also hopes that the device will help cut down on paper waste and reduce the need for

printers Printer may refer to: Technology * Printer (publishing), a person or a company * Printer (computing), a hardware device * Optical printer for motion picture films People * Nariman Printer (fl. c. 1940), Indian journalist and activist * James ...

in modern society.

References

Personal computers