Slashdot Mirror
Photonic Ink Changes Color On Command
An anonymous reader submits "According to Nature's report : "A new ink changes colour at the flick of a switch." It now named Photonic Ink, or P-Ink. "P-Ink's iridescent colours depend upon a process called diffraction." "To make the colour of the ink tunable" the team led by Geoffrey Ozin "packs a polymer gel between its stacked spheres" which can change size "when it is soaked in solvent and shrinks when it dries". In addition, it "conducts electricity", and "altering the voltage tunes the ink's colour smoothly through the spectrum." more detail also can found on Advanced Materials."
Anyone else reminded of those jackets in Snowcrash that changed colors? IIRC, the Enforcers had them and a flick of a switch would turn all the lettering on them black to match the rest of the jacket.
I don't know about you, but I personally, I'm terrified as to how the porno industry will make use of this. =)
"Yeah, well, Dracula called and he's coming over tonight for you and I said okay."
Any color, as long as it's P-Ink!
It might be fun to combine this with piezoelectric plastic film and put it in clothing, so it flashes colors as you move.
Free book: Science Toys You Can Make
This could make funny clothes that change color on demand. Of course, it will also make life very difficult for people who cannot make up their mind: blue, no yell... argh....
But does it pass the litmus test???
Actually, imagine the crazy fun you could have with colour changing paper and colour changing ink...
Depending on how difficult/expensive it is to make this stuff, it could be used on money as an anti-counterfeit measure.
I can't say that I don't give a fuck. I've just run out of fuck to give.
Imagine tattoos,
your body's natual electrical charges and static
animatoos
"My name is Ot-to. And I've got anima-toos!"
Coming soon - "How to hook your power supply up to the 'intel inside' sticker.
Operator, give me the number for 911!
And if it were possible to re-print on the same page, would this mean that newspapers would re-use/recycle themselves? Just plug it into the daily info port, and watch as it reprints itself? It wouldn't be as fun as what i use (The internet for my daily news) but it would be intriguing, and i might go for it just to have a hard copy. On the other hand, it's hard enoguh to keep records as it is- this means there could be documents which cease to exist as soon as you tell them to, no pesky burning involved... hm. I'll have to think about this. When i see colourchange makeup come out, i'm going to scream...
"I'd say 'Have a good time,' but arson is still illegal.
I can just see it now: animated banner ads...
- ...in magazines.
What's next? Flash 'animations' in newspapers?Karma
I think that name is already taken by another color, actually...
DO NOT LEAVE IT IS NOT REAL
I can imagine these inks used on quarterly statements. Shareholders get the copy with all the black ink; just don't forget to flip the "red ink" switch when you send it to the IRS.
Reminds me of that scene in Total Recall where the secretary was changing the color of her nails with the tap of a stylus... Yet another office productivity tool ;)
so how long does it take to figure out that you mount a pinhole cam or 12 on the opposite side and reproduce an image of the area behind the car. not only does that make the car invisible, but it would work for his tux, even the license plate.
Heck with 'skinning' found in most video games, a genaric car could be made to look a little like a porche or in the bad part of town, a toyota.
I'd like to see nascar use this to update sponsors on-the-fly as they bail from the tail car to back up the lead car.
THE WORLD IS GOING TO END!!!! eventually.