Scientists Create Printer With Reflective Ink

A printer whose ink can replicate the reflectivity of an object into print has been developed by computer scientists in New Hampshire.

The scientists from Dartmouth College say that it is possibly to effectively reproduce the subtle variations in reflectivity in a similar way that a printer uses mixtures of cyan, magenta, yellow and black to create a full spectrum of colours, according to the New Scientist.

Fabio Pellacini, the creator of the device, told the magazine that "[the process] captures not only the matt colour of a surface but its highlights, allowing us to represent a wide range of materials like plastics, metals and paints".

The printer requires 12 different ink cartridges in order to produce the full reflective spectrum: cyan, metallic cyan, magenta, metallic magenta, yellow, metallic gold, black, metallic silver, gold foil, silver foil, finish and primer.

However, the machine can only hold seven cartridges at a time and the scientists needed to continually switch the colours around and reprint over images in order to achieve the full effect.

Mr Pellacini added that he does not think the new printers will appeal to the home computer market as it is "mainly graphic art professionals who will be interested in the technology".

Posted by Ramsey DeHani

Social Bookmarking Links