Ghost Matrix, Glow Printing

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x24ESDCkmN0]

Ok, there aren’t any usefull applications we can think of for this one, but we want one really badly. This is a combination of a miniPOV, some UV LEDs, a CNC rig, and some glow in the dark paper. The Ghost matrix works similar to a dot matrix printer where it flashes the UV light to activate the paper. The final effect is very nice. Great job on this one.

[via Laughing Squid]

30 thoughts on “Ghost Matrix, Glow Printing

  1. hehe… what about using an old hard disk + glow in the dark sheet as the substrate. No need for expensive drive boards then and it recycles an otherwise useless drive.

    Plus you can do scrolling text :)

    -A (currently hacking a Sony PRS-505 Reader)

  2. I once saw a guy who took “Pin Hole” camera pictures with a Cube Van and photographic paper about 8’X10′, you could modify this thing (multiple colours, somthing to move the paper) to print out giant digital photo prints, now that would be weird!

  3. Something similar was invented during the 1950’s called “slow scan television” (although instead of a light matrix, there was a scanning electron beam striking a slow-fade phosphor screen)

    Excellent project! Very Cool!

  4. Photo sensitive paper… like used in photography.. do some cool artwork.. refine the lighting of the printer and I bet you could pull of some spectacular art!

  5. I like 36chambers’ idea. This would be pretty useful in dark places like clubs. It could be used like a scrolling led sign, but more… I can’t think of a word. Trippy maybe?

  6. What if you did the same thing, only made it print with tritium-phosphor-embedded inks?

    Anyway, this is a total work of art and it humbles me to know people are still way creative in nifty surprising ways.

  7. It would be cool to make a clock based on this display type.
    @emperor dane: you need UV light since it has higher energy than visible light. IR on the other hand has lower energy and won’t work. You can only make the conversion higher energy light->lower energy light.

  8. @lwr20, yeah this would work, i’ve tried it. main headache is resolution, even with fibres you can only get a 1mm or so pitch.

    I did find a way around this, stagger the LEDs (SMD 0402 UV) in rows and then put a plate over the array so that light only gets through where you want it to.

    Now what *would* be cool is to spin the fibres inside a surplus lighting globe, the inside being coated with UV reactive ink.. instant all round persistent display.

    _A

  9. @36chambers, yeah, ebay. I have some spare UV ones here (150), and also RGB. iirc the best seller is phenoptix, sends em ultra fast and is kind on postage.

    i am making good progress on my hard disk version..

  10. @ JBunnell: I was just thinking that. Like have a loop of the paper moving like a conveyor belt with the print head at one end. It would be cool for displaying information somewhere, like tweets.

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