The wall-sized digital information display was unveiled recently at the UN headquarters in New York. MpicoSys, Pervasive Displays and E Inks developed the technology using 231 e-Ink displays.

Queen Máxima of the Netherlands and UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon officially unveiled the "eWall" during a general assembly of the UN last week. The wall was part of a renovation of a lounge by the Office of Metropolitan Architecture.

It provides delegates with scheduling, news and other information, conveyed by high-resolution large-scale images or pictures that fade seamlessly into an unobtrusive wall when the system is turned off.

"The eWall is an intricate combination of architectural, display and network engineering that stands about 6m wide with 231 tiled 7.4" displays," said a spokesman for the three companies. "These are arranged in a grid of 33 displays across by seven displays high.

"With an overall resolution of 26,400x3,360 pixels the eWall is the largest E Ink-based ePaper display in the world. Yet it consumes little power to operate."

It uses E Ink's Pearl film, Pervasive Displays display modules and MpicoSys' electronics and control software.

MpicoSys chief executive Peter Slikkerveer said: "We handled the electronics, software and mechanics and see this as the start of a new generation of e-paper products for information signage. The technology is similar to that used for Amazon and Kindle ebooks.

"It's a reflective black-and-white display: we didn't want it to be too obtrusive but gently pervasive. It is the most paper-like technology and can be seen in ambient light."

Pervasive Displays' founder Scott Soong said: "This delivers information without disturbing architectural harmony. With zero power to display the information, it is good for green buildings."

E Ink Holdings' head of signage business Harit Doshi said: "The eWall is an example of E Ink enabling designers to deliver information where they never thought possible."

E Ink Holdings was founded 21 years ago by Taiwan paper-making and printing group YFY. Dutch company MpicoSys creates low-power, mini electronic systems. Pervasive Displays provides ultra-low-power, e-paper displays and reference designs.