Perhaps the greenest printer of them all

Leonard Goh | Jun 27, 2008

It's disturbing to see trees being felled to make paper, worse when most of us just print on one side of the sheet. Although duplex printing function is slowly being introduced into more inkboxes, we still have to buy more paper when the tray is empty.

This shouldn't pose a problem for Toshiba which has developed the B-SX8R. This printer can erase the contents on the paper, ready to be printed on again. The revolutionary idea works on the basis that certain mixtures of pigments change color when heated to a particular temperature. This is different from the technology Xerox employed by using ink that fades after a period of time.

The formula used in the B-SX8R turns black at 180 degrees Celsius, but between 130 and 170 degrees it is white. So by subjecting the paper to heat, the ink "disappears".

While the trees are being saved, we have to think about our wallets--this cocktail of pigments and chemicals definitely won't come cheap. Also, the heat required to operate may make the printer consume more energy, which contributes to carbon emission. While this inkbox won't save the Earth, at least the trees can heave a sigh of relief. For now.

Via Techeblog
Photo credit: Techeblog

Filed under: Future Tech, Printers
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kaweh

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kaweh says...
So the ink turns black at 180 degrees, then white at 130 degrees. When reheated to 180 degrees, does it turn black again? Would that mean that you should not print any confidential data with this printer?

Jun 27, 2008 18:40