Mama Don't Take My Photochrome Away
06/29/04
Photochromic inks are nothing new - Transitions lenses have using them to darken in sunlight since 1994. But a new desire for interesting surface properties in designs means that these inks are enjoying a surge in popularity. Front Design uses them to create sunlight morphing wallpaper, while use of the ink in T-shirts and thread and plastics is happening as well. This technology is great for products which have different directions when used indoors or out, as the directions can be printed twice on the same spot, once with UV reveal ink, and once with UV invisible. Only one set of instructions will be visible at any one time. Another reason for the growth of this technology, is the creation, only a few years ago of robust, inexpensive (cheap enough to be used in toys for crying out loud) near-UV LED lamps. These can be used to "write" on surfaces painted with the inks, or to alter the color of a part of a design. Up until now, most applications of these inks were passive, having to do with safety, and the sun. But now, with these cheap light sources, amazing possibilities exist in making designs that switch visual "flavor" quickly and easily. Off the top of our heads: change the paint job of an object to match its function. Maybe it's got two modes, a funny one and a serious one, and needs polka dots to be funny. Or maybe some of the buttons don't work in one mode, so why not make their labels invisible. Crazy.
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Dominic Muren and IDFuel Team