Taking all this into consideration, you may believe that an inkjet printer is a piece of tech stuck in the past. However, Japanese researchers might have cracked the puzzle that will inject (pun intended) new life into these seemingly archaic devices. According to ScienceDaily, research from Tokyo Metropolitan University has found a new way to affect the ink's drying process. Traditionally, this was achieved with chemical additives, but the new method involves adding tiny bubbles to ink. Fine-tuning the number of bubbles in individual droplets of ink can significantly change the pattern that occurs after the liquid evaporates — all without leaving behind chemical residue.