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Vibrating ball-bearings could make inkjet printers cheaper and more
efficient, according to Korean company Samsung. Rather than blasting jets of ink
onto paper by heating it to create an air bubble, or by using piezo-electric
injectors, Samsung uses a tiny ball controlled by an electromagnet (GB 2 330
799). The ink is stored in a cavity behind a fine nozzle and is backed by a
silicone rubber membrane. The ball-bearing sits under the membrane near the
electromagnet. When a current is pulsed through the magnet, the ball repeatedly
hits the membrane, squirting ink from the nozzle.