Student inventors develop ink-free pen that lasts for decades

Members of student company Kyriak developed an ink-free, smudge-free pen with a metal alloy tip, testing their ideas by heating metals on a backyard grill, ERR’s Vikerraadio reported.

Tuuli Hanson said the idea arose from the frustration of pens running out of ink during schoolwork. The group also found that disposable plastic pens contribute to extensive plastic pollution, with around 50 billion used each year, according to Hanson.

The pen’s tip contains a metal alloy developed by the students. When it touches paper, the metal leaves a light oxidation mark that can be read. Only a microscopic amount of the alloy is needed to create the mark.

The students spent the summer testing different materials. Because they did not have access to laboratories, they used a backyard grill to reach the high temperatures needed to test their theory. Their first attempt worked, but they needed eight months to reproduce the successful result.

Loore Lee Allmaa said the project required determination, initiative, an open mind and courage. The group’s work eventually led them into metallurgy and materials science, even though the pen was not their first invention.

The product is called Kipu and is already available for purchase. The students currently aim to make its grey mark stronger before beginning tests on coloured versions.

Kyriak was founded by Hanson, Allmaa and Elisabeth Tagobert after they met at a sustainability festival. The company’s name comes from the words for giraffe and writing.

About 500 student companies are established each year, with 30 selected for the student company final, Allmaa said. The group was shocked when it learned that it had won the competition.

Kyriak also took part in a European student company competition in Riga, where students from 40 countries participated. The group placed second, while a Norwegian student company with a maritime-related product won first place.