While the tech world has gone mobile, there’s one key tool that hasn’tchanged in years: the printer. Most printers are still big, bulky and boring. They do a job, and they stay put. Right where you left them — at home or in the office.
If a new crowdsourced Kickstarter project gets the funding it needs,mobile workers will be able to print most anywhere — even coffeeshops. The tool? A robot printer.
ZUta Labs has reimagined the printer into an apple-sized devicethat can drive over a sheet of paper and print along the way.
The pocketable printer uses a USB rechargeable battery, hasan on/off switch, and connects directly to smartphones, tablets andPCs. It can print on most any size sheet of paper, and it willprint for an hour before needing a recharge. The ink will last for1,000 printed pages (standard size and text).
How the Robotic Printer Works
To expose the inkjet, a sliding hatch opens on the bottom of theprinter. A set of four wheels lets it turn and drive in any direction,using steady, micro steps so it won’t “spin out” and send a sheet ofpaper flying off a table. Its overall shape has three rounded edgeswith one right-angled edge, which is the edge that users will align tothe top left of a sheet of paper.
The little printer connects to your smartphone or PC via Bluetooth,and it is compatible with Android, iOS, Linux, OS X and Windowsoperating systems. The first generation will print only in grayscale,and it will be able to crank out 1.2 pages per minute. The prototypewill deliver 96×192 dpi, but the shipping versionwill have a higher resolution, according to ZUta Labs.
The printer will use a standard-sized HP printer cartridge foreasy-to-find replacements.
It all seems so crazy simple.
The Rewards
Early bird backers snapped up a “Mars Black” printer for US$180, butthat limited-run incentive is all gone. Currently, the next bestoption is one black printer for $200. Backers can get a “TitaniumWhite” version for $220, and Kickstarter fans can pledge $300 to snaga black edition with a green glowing Kickstarter “K” at the center ofthe top.
Of course, there’s an option for truly serious mobileprinting fans: $10,000 will get your name printed into the firstversion’s motherboard.
Risks and Challenges
ZUtA Labs has acknowledged the usual risks in design, manufacturing andshipping, but it seems to have a healthy stable of startupadvisors to keep it rolling forward.
The crew originally started theproject at the Jerusalem College of Technology in the FriedbergEntrepreneurship Program, which offered use of the college’sfacilities and — better yet — required a sustainable business planbefore the team received initial funding support.
As for the crowd, so far more than 2,100 backers have pledged more than $355,000toward a $400,000 goal. If the funding reaches its target by May 10, ZUtALabs is slated to produce a final prototype in August withmanufacturing scheduled to begin in September. And delivery to backers?January 2015.
What about color? Not yet, but ZUtA Labs hopes to create acolor-printing version at some point in the future.
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