Disappearing Ink Printer

Science never ceases to amaze. According to news.com, Xerox is experimenting with a new type of paper and printer. Documents produced using these fade away after 16 to 24 hours, making the paper re-usable again.

There is no actual ink used in the printer. The special paper is hit with UV rays, causing parts of it to change color; that is, the parts you want printed. You don’t have to wait for it to fade, running the paper through the printer wipes the colored parts away.

This is great news for a lot of people I know. A manager friend of mine prints a lot of documents that finds its way in a trash can before the day ends. It will save him and his employer lots of money on paper! No more spending money on ink, either. Of course, not all documents should be wiped, but this will be really useful when you only need it for a day.

I can think of quite a few uses for it in my house, myself. A shopping list is one. Just print before you set off. It’s probably not worth the cost though, since it has limited home applications. What do you think it should be used for?