Machine ‘unprints’ mistakes

Say goodbye to the conventional printer. Picture: Itumeleng English

Say goodbye to the conventional printer. Picture: Itumeleng English

Published May 25, 2012

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London - Next time you print out a letter full of mistakes, just think - soon you could be able to “unprint” it.

Scientists have developed a machine to erase everything on a printed page without damaging the paper. It means the paper could be reused again and again.

The process works by using short lasers to heat the ink toner on the page to the point where it vaporises. An extraction system captures the particles. The Cambridge University researchers responsible say printers will one day have an ‘unprint’ button that lets you erase your errors.

It would lead to fewer trees being cut down, with some forecasting it could cut carbon emissions across the world by up to 79 percent.

It’s still in prototype form, costing £19,000. So for now, a far cheaper way of saving the planet might be a simple dab of Tipp-Ex. - Daily Mail

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