Invisible Printer Ink : Not Just for Secret Messages Anymore

by Andrea Millar — May 11, 2008

Do you have a pile of semi-used paper sitting next to your printer, waiting for its next life as the host of a Google map or a worm's breakfast? I certainly do. It's no good for important stuff, but I can't bring myself to shove it in the recycling bin, not yet. Still, attached as I am to old printer cartridge alignment sheets or typo-ridden declarations of my love for not working nights to my boss, I'm still stoked to see that a little company in the Bay Area, Palo Alto Research Center, has tackled the waste paper issue by producing a printer that works in invisible ink.

What good is invisible ink? Well, it goes on strong, and dissipates in 16 to 24 hours, resulting in a pristine piece of paper that's ready to be used again. If you need it faster, you can pass it through the printer, which will speed up the photosensitive process. Best of all, you offset the energy used in the paper's creation in just a few uses. The reusable paper prints more energy efficiently too, using about half the energy required by conventional paper.

The printer is still in testing stages, but it's impressive stuff when a tech company is that committed to saving resources. Then again, this is Xerox's PARC; I'm guessing you're probably a fan of their other paper-saving technology, the Graphical User Interface. We know Steve Jobs and Bill Gates were!