Compal’s award-winning AI Book concept adds a color E Ink display to the laptop’s palm rest area, turning otherwise unused space into a stylus-friendly workspace for notes, widgets, and AI prompts.
Laptop manufacturers have experimented with different kinds of secondary displays for years, from dual-screen notebooks to above-keyboard 4K sketch pads and even E Ink trackpads. Taiwanese manufacturer Compal Electronics is exploring a different approach with its AI Book concept, which adds a color E Ink display to the palm rest area of the laptop. This design is novel, and certainly stands out from the rest. And it recently picked up an iF Design Award, suggesting the industry sees the unique potential in this idea, too.
Rather than leaving the palm rest area as unused real estate, the AI Book turns it into a secondary display area for notes, widgets, and AI-generated content. From the renders available, it looks like the E Ink panel covers the whole area where the trackpad would normally be located, stretching out to the edges on either side. There is the suggestion of a flexible hinge that might actually put the secondary display over top of a trackpad, but we can't say for sure as details are very light.
The design brief mentions three distinct modes. In normal operation when the lid is open and the laptop is ready for work, the color E Ink panel becomes an interactive surface for things like handwritten notes and reminders. It supports both touch and stylus input, so you can sketch ideas, annotate documents, or jot down notes without having to switch windows.
When the lid is closed, a slim strip can remain exposed for quick notifications, reminders and updates. There is another mode for a closed lid, which sees the panel flip over top to allow for interaction with some kind of AI prompt system – with one given example showing the AI answering team queries while another has it helping with tasks – all via voice input. In this mode, the laptop lid also activates built-in feedback lighting for status changes.
The iF Design Award description also mentions ambient lighting cues designed to guide your attention and soften idle moments between tasks – another potential area where a well-integrated AI can be leveraged.
Compal hasn't revealed which version of E Ink will feature here, but the concept is speculated to use Kaleido 3 color e-paper technology. Whatever the final design choice, E Ink doesn’t use much power, produces minimal heat, and can hold static content without needing to constantly refresh so should be too much of a drain on the laptop's battery.
Overall, the idea amounts to a laptop that remains interactable even when you’re not actively using it. It combines the productivity of a traditional laptop with a more ambient computing approach: a computer with a sort of interactive notepad built into it.
The big question: can this really be an effective productivity upgrade, or is it just a novel concept experiment? Compal is no stranger to experimental hardware ideas, many of which debut at design events but never actually make it to production.
E Ink has already appeared in unexpected places, from laptop lids and keyboards to outdoor displays. Moving the technology into the palm rest area could be the latest attempt to make the most of unused space. For now, the AI Book remains a concept, but it suggests that laptops’ palm rest area may see some evolution in the not-too-distant future.
Source: Compal via iF Design
