A small start-up company called Zinc has unveiled a printer that does not use ink. Instead, the printer uses heat to activate a polymer coating on special paper. Each sheet of paper has 3 crystalline layers (yellow, magenta and blue). Each is activated by different temperatures and heat application times. When the right combination is applied, the crystals turn from clear into the appropriate colour.
Without the need for an ink cartridge, the printer can be much smaller than traditional printers. The biggest limitation would be the size of the prints you want to make.
Still months away from release, Zinc’s first printers are expected to cost between $100 USD and $200 USD with paper cost about $20 USD for 100 sheets.