Soldered Electronics
Microcontroller Boards
E-Paper
Funding ended on Oct 26, 2023 at 04:59 PM PDT.
Inkplate 4 TEMPERA is an easy-to-use, all-in-one device that puts the power of e-paper technology in the palm of your hand. Behind its 3.8-inch, 600x600-pixel e-paper touchscreen, it packs the following features into one compact, elegant package: frontlighting, an abundance of sensors, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity, a built-in battery, and a low-power operating mode.
In this digital age, screens are the windows through which we interact with much of our world, and e-paper technology addresses many of the challenges posed by conventional screens. More specifically, they offer high contrast, daylight readability, and unparalleled energy efficiency. And there is one more thing that sets our screens apart: sustainability. Every Inkplate 4 TEMPERA gives new life to an ED038TH2 E Ink display that we’ve rescued from a tragic future as e-waste. We’d rather see these screens in your hands than in a landfill.
So, if you’re in the market for a nice-looking screen on which you can display whatever you want—wherever, at whatever time of day, and for however long you want—we invite you to check out Inkplate 4 TEMPERA. We think you’ll find it delightful!
These e-paper screens were originally made by the E Ink Corporation for a now-discontinued product and are available in limited quantities. As a result, we will only be able to manufacture 370 units with the glass panel and 300 units without. We currently have no plans to resume production after this run.
Two Inkplate 4 TEMPERA models, one with a glass panel and one with a plastic cover
Inkplate 4 TEMPERA is powered by the ESP32 microcontroller, to which we’ve added all of the peripherals we thought you might find useful. Inside the enclosure is a 1200-mAh battery and power-management circuitry so you can charge it easily and determine its remaining charge accurately. Inkplate 4 TEMPERA’s real-time clock (RTC) allows for precise time measurements, and its microSD card slot allows you to to store and display images, among other applications. If you’re looking for sensors, you’ll find a gyroscope and an accelerometer, as well as temperature, humidity, air quality, and gesture sensors. Inkplate 4 TEMPERA also has a built-in, frequency-adjustable buzzer. And of course, it includes various GPIO pins that support peripheral connectivity through a GPIO expander or via the easyC ecosystem.
Many e-paper screens are challenging to work with, but we’ve designed Inkplate 4 TEMPERA to be user friendly. Simply connect it to your computer with the provided USB cable, and it’s ready to go. No complex setup or tedious configuration are required. And it’s just as straightforward on the software side: Inkplate 4 TEMPERA supports Arduino and MicroPython out of the box and has community support for ESPHome. Our Arduino library, in particular, contains numerous examples and project ideas. All you need are a few lines of code to change what’s displayed on the screen. And finally, Peripheral mode allows you to send commands to modify screen content via UART. We load peripheral-mode firmware onto all Inkplates before we ship them out.
Our comprehensive Inkplate documentation is readily available online, and we extend free technical support to all Inkplate customers via email.
You could build an interactive calendar, track your stocks, make a digital picture frame, display the weather report, or use your Inkplate 4 TEMPERA as a sensor dashboard, to name just a few examples. More generally, you could turn it into:
The beauty of Inkplate 4 TEMPERA lies in its adaptability. All you need is the right idea and a bit of coding. Beyond that, the list of possible applications is limited only by your imagination.
| Inkplate 4 TEMPERA | Inkplate 6 | Inkplate 10 | Waveshare EPD | Adafruit EPD | Pimoroni Inky wHAT | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Screen Size | 3.8" | 6" | 9.7" | 9.7" | 2.13" | 4.2" |
| Resolution | 600 x 600 | 800 x 600 | 1200 x 825 | 1200 x 825 | 250 x 122 | 400 x 300 |
| All-in-one Board | Yes | Yes | Yes | Requires controller & two add-ons | Requires controller | Requires controller |
| Low-Power Mode | 18 μA | 25 μA | 22 μA | No | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Touchscreen & Screen Lighting | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Battery Charger and Battery | Yes | Charger only | Charger only | No | No | No |
| Battery Fuel Gauge | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Accelerometer and gyroscope | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| T, Rh and Air Quality Sensing | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Gesture Sensing | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Sound Output | Yes | No | No | No | No | No |
| Real Time Clock | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| MicroSD slot | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | Yes | No |
| Grayscale | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No |
| Partial Update | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | No | No |
| Refresh Time | 0.86 s | 1.26 s | 1.61 s | ~6 s | ~2 s | ~10 s |
| Refresh Time per Pixel | 2.39 μs | 2.63 μs | 1.62 μs | ~24 μs | ~66 μs | ~83 μs |
| Partial refresh Time | 0.18 s | 0.25 s | 0.33 s | Not supported | Not supported | Not supported |
| Price | $149 | $149 | $169 | $173 | $22.5 | $63 |
The Inkplate family owes a lot to our incredible community of backers. Inkplate 4 TEMPERA is the latest addition to that family, and it joins a number of crowdfunding campaigns that hit their goals and shipped successfully. Those include Inkplate 6, Inkplate 10, Inkplate 6PLUS, Inkplate 6COLOR, and Inkplate 5. Various Inkplate boards have been produced in total quantities of over 8000 pieces and delivered to customers in over 80 countries.
You can find our documentation online or email us with questions. You can also reach out using the "Ask a technical question" link below.
Every aspect of Inkplate 4 TEMPERA is, or will soon be, fully open source. That includes:
All design files will be made publicly available before we start shipping to backers.
All aspects of Inkplate 4 TEMPERA’s development, from design to manufacturing, are handled in-house in our Croatian factory. We oversee every stage of production to ensure the highest quality of our products. Our team, equipped with years of experience and a robust manufacturing line, is prepared to handle large production runs.
After our production run is complete, we will box everything up and send it along to Crowd Supply’s fulfillment partner, Mouser Electronics, who will handle distribution to backers worldwide. You can learn more about Crowd Supply’s fulfillment service under Ordering, Paying, and Shipping in their guide.
As with any hardware product, there are inherent risks and challenges associated with production and supply-chain management. We’ve learned from past experience and established strong relationships with suppliers and manufacturers to mitigate these risks. While we have a strong record of delivering quality products on time, we understand that unforeseen circumstances can occur. Inkplate 4 TEMPERA has undergone rigorous testing, and we have identified primary and backup suppliers for all components. Should any issues arise, we will leverage our experience and resources to mitigate delays and keep our backers informed at every step.
We’re Soldered Electronics, a team dedicated to designing and manufacturing top-notch electronic products for hobbyists, educators, and professionals. Our commitment to quality, customer satisfaction, and open-source principles is reflected in every product we make, which is evident in our customer ratings. We’ve successfully delivered multiple crowdfunded products and are excited to bring Inkplate 4 TEMPERA to you. You can read more about us here.
Produced by Soldered Electronics in Osijek, Croatia.
Sold and shipped by Crowd Supply.
ESP32-based MCU board with a 3.8-inch, e-paper touchscreen, a glass panel, built-in lighting, a Li-Ion battery, an enclosure, and various peripherals.
Want to buy this item? Check the current project page for the latest information.
ESP32-based microcontroller board with a 3.8-inch, e-paper touchscreen, built-in lighting, a Li-Ion battery, an enclosure, and various peripherals.
Want to buy this item? Check the current project page for the latest information.
· solderedcom · solderedelectronics · soldered.com
Our company originated as a high school garage project in 2013. Initially crafting electronic boards for friends and hobbyists, we evolved into a professional entity, engineering and producing a diverse range of products and services for makers worldwide. In 2022, we transitioned to the name Soldered Electronics, marking a new chapter in our growth and product design. To date, we have engineered over 200 electronic products, manufactured a total of 250,000 units, and delivered those units to makers in more than 85 countries. In addition to electronic production, we have curated an extensive library of 320 tutorials and manuals, complete with descriptions and schematics for electronic products. These resources help makers use our products and our sample code more effectively. Finally, we offer 24/7 customer support and technical assistance for each of our products, regardless of the sales channel through which it was obtained.
