XEROX invents self-erasing paper - Now you see it, now you don't

Xerox is hoping that a new type of reusable paper, currently being developed by its top researchers, could help put an end to the wasteful use of paper in the workplace.

Over the past decade, IT has impacted hugely on traditional paper-based processes in the workplace. Electronic mail has considerably reduced the volume of letters and faxes being generated by businesses and affordable software packages have replaced manual tasks such as accounts production and contact relationship management.

But instead of reducing our overall paper consumption, this shift to greater electronic storage has actually had the opposite effect. Because despite the ability to view an increasing amount of data on our high-resolution wide-screen monitors, most of us still regularly print off e-mails, pages from the Web and lengthy reports.

Now, in an effort to stop our forests finishing up in our waste paper baskets, Xerox is trying to tackle the problem with a new invention: self-erasing paper. Researchers have been working on a type of paper on which the ink erases itself within a day, allowing it to be re-used up to one hundred times.

Paul Smith, manager of Xerox's new materials design and synthesis lab explained: "Despite our reliance on computers to share and process information, there is still a strong dependence on the printed page for reading and absorbing content. Of course, we'd all like to use less paper, but we know from talking with customers that many people still prefer to work with information on paper. Self-erasing documents for short-term use offers the best of both worlds."

Beware, this message will self-erase within 24 hours.

Although still in its preliminary phase of development, it is hoped that this innovation will ultimately lead to a significant reduction in paper use. The eureka moment came when Xerox developed a compound that changes colour when it absorbs a specific wavelength of light but then gradually disappears in 16 to 24 hours.

Now experts at PARC (Palo Alto research Center) – the birthplace of the laser printer – who are collaborating with Xerox on this project, are investigating ways to build a device that can write the image onto the special paper. Their prototype printer uses a light bar to deliver the specific wavelength of light required.

Xerox has filed for patents on its new technology but is still unable to announce a release date. So our advice until then: please do not print this article unless it is absolutely necessary for you to do so.