Ksana: Hybrid smartwatch concept combines clockface with an E Ink display and a number of sensors, but there is one drawback

Smartwatches come in various shapes and designs, and can also differ considerably in terms of the display technology used. For example, there are models with MIP displays that promise long battery life while the display is permanently activated as well as smartwatches with particularly colorful and bright displays such as the Apple Watch. The Ksana is a concept by designer Ravisankar R. that envisions a smartwatch with both a classic clock face and an E Ink display.

The E Ink screen is round and is located in the center of the display - such an layout would be unusual, as the active displays on hybrid smartwatches tend to take up a small part of the screen. On the Ksana this would be much more prominent. The advantage of this solution would be the energy-saving display of image content; in concrete terms, the use of energy with deactivated backlighting is only necessary when the image content changes, which would not necessarily have to be done constantly. As a rule, it is sufficient if the number of steps taken or the current heart rate is updated every second. 

The designer envisions the Ksana as a smartwatch with a very extensive range of functions, including a GPS module for navigation and heart rate monitoring. Operation would be via a rotating crown and a button. Whether this concept will actually see the light of day, however, remains to be seen.