The Inkplate 5 is a small E Ink display designed for DIY projects. It’s connected to a printed circuit board that allows you to use the screen as a programmable device for standalone applications or for use with other gear.

It’s the latest in the ever-expanding family of Inkplate products, and it will go up for pre-order soon through a Crowd Supply crowdfunding campaign.

The InkPlate 5 features a 5.2 inch, 960 x 540 pixel greyscale electronic paper display, an ESP32 microcontroller with support for WiFi and Bluetooth Low Energy connections, and a USB-C port and microSD card reader.

InkPlate products are made by Soldered Electronics, a Croatian company that was known as e-radionica until recently. Soldered makes hardware design files and software source code  available in a GitHub repository.

The company says the board is Arduino-compatible and supports Adafruit’s GFX library. It can also be programmed using MicroPython.

While the board itself doesn’t have a battery, E Ink displays can display a static image indefinitely, meaning you could plug the board into a computer to change the on-screen image, unplug it, and stick it on a shelf for use as digital signage. Or you could connect it to a battery or USB power source and use it as a low-power wireless display. With a 18 µA sleep state, Soldered says the InkPlate 5 should be able to run for “days, weeks, or months” on a charge.

Pricing hasn’t been announced yet, but other InkPlate products range in price from around $40 to $200 depending on the screen size and capabilities.

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