"Kettles that change colour and signs that glow-in-the-dark are two recent examples of products becoming 'smarter' as a result of new materials. Colour-changing thermochromic pigments are now routinely made as inks for paper and fabrics - and incorporated into injection moulded plastics. A new type of phosphorescent pigment, capable of emitting light for up to 10 hours, has opened up entirely new design opportunities for instrumentation, low-level lighting systems etc."
