It may sound absurd, but it's close to reality. Thanks to groundbreaking research at UCT, you may soon be able to see moving pictures on a paper poster.

In fact, recyclable paper calculators could become a reality.

For seven years, UCT professors Margit Harting and David Britton, along with their senior students and supportive funding from the Innovation Fund, have worked on technology using nano-particles of silicon in ink to be able to screen-print semi- conductors on various materials, including paper.

Earlier this month their work received the Academic R&D Award at the IDTechEx Printed Electronics Europe Awards 2010 in Dresden, Germany.

For the two physicists, this was not only much deserved recognition for their personal efforts, but also proof that UCT is the leading institution in the world in this field.

The potential applications for printed electronic products are enormous. They range from use in solar cells (where engineers are keen to use thinner and cheaper materials) and animated billboard posters (imagine a paper-thin poster that lights up or runs videos), to packaging (that can guarantee freshness) and smart fabrics (such as shirts that monitor muscle fatigue during sports training).

Starting with the basics and working on printed technology in the solid state in UCT's Department of Physics from the early 2000s, the two have made huge advances in their work.

Among the first was the production of semi-conducting inks, using silicon nano-particles that do not oxidise, at room temperature.

Now the ink's enormous potential has brought the two scientists' work to the attention of industry and investors.

"The commercial potential is dangerously broad," said Harting.