Is This The World's Largest Inkjet?

[Azat]

Is this the world's largest inkjet?

By Staff, CNETAsia

9/7/2003

URL: http://asia.cnet.com/newstech/systems/0,39...39139482,00.htm

Two Swiss researchers have developed what could be the world's largest portable inkjet printer, though it's unlikely that engineers at Hewlett-Packard will be losing sleep over the invention.

 

Instead of using conventional ink cartridges, the mammoth printer--Hektor--feeds off canisters of spray paint and can be mounted on walls. It scans smaller images and renders them into large pieces of artwork, BBC News reported.

 

The spray paint is held by a custom-made harness and is moved by two independently controllable pulleys powered by a pair of motors, the report said.

 

"All the parts for Hektor fit into two suitcases, making the whole device portable and adaptable to almost any surface the motors can be attached to," said the report.

 

Jurg Lehni, one of Hektor's creators, said he came up with the device to let artists to turn computer-drawn images into more tangible artifacts. In addition, the report said he wanted to combine the precision of computer imaging with the "woollier" outlines of spray paintwork.

 

In the development process, Lehni said a major challenge was writing the path-finding algorithm so the printer can map the optimum route for tracing and spray painting an image.

 

The challenge has since been solved and Hektor is now a fully-functional printer which has already been used to create artwork for an exhibition at the Zurich Kunsthaus gallery. It has also won accolades at the 2003 Machinista media art festival which was held in Russia in April, the report added.