Color change compositions that transition from a first to second color state upon application of an applied stimulus are provided. Also provided are substrates having the compositions on a surface thereof, as well as methods of making and using the compositions.

In a first aspect, the invention provides an ink formulation comprising: (a) a near infrared absorbing system comprising a compound of the formula M.sup.1W.sub.1.6O.sub.6, wherein M.sup.1 is one or more elements selected from the group consisting of H, He, alkali metals such as Li, Na, K, Rb, Cs, alkaline earth metals such as Be, Mg, Ca, Sr, Ba, rare-earth elements, Zr, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ru, Co, Rh, Ir, Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, Ag, Au, Zn, Cd, AL Ga, in, Tl, Si, Ge, Sn, Pb, Sb, B, F, P, S, Se, Br, Te, Ti, Nb, V, Mo, Ta, Re, Hf, Os, Bi and I, or ammonium; (b) a color change agent; and (c) a binder. The invention also provides alternative ink formulations for laser marking, a method of forming an image using the ink formulations and a substrate coated with the ink formulation of the invention. Ink formulations according to the invention have been found to have good laser imaging efficacy, and an essentially negligible impact on the background color of the coating.

In an embodiment, a device and method for identifying a change in a predetermined condition. The device is a patch injected with ink that transforms in response to a change in the predetermined condition, such as, a change in temperature or change in the ultraviolet (UV) index level. The ink includes thermochromic ink that transforms or identifiably changes based on a change in a temperature condition, and/or photochromic ink that transforms or identifiably changes based on a change in an UV index level condition. When temperature increases or decreases to reach one or more threshold temperature values, the thermochromic ink transforms in an identifiable manner to indicate a condition has be met. When the UV index level increase or decrease to reach one or more threshold UV index levels, the photochromic ink transforms in an identifiable manner to indicate that a condition has be met.

The present disclosure provides a method for creating a label for labeling an intravenous infusion line. Further, the method may include receiving an information associated with one or more intravenous infusion lines from input devices, analyzing the information, determining label content of labels associated with the intravenous infusion lines, determining label content formats of the label content, generating a label information for the labels based on the label content and the label content formats, and printing the label information on label sheets using a printing device based on the label information. Further, the printing device comprises a thermal printer configured for selectively inducing a chromatic transition in a thermochromic composition associated with the label sheets. Further, the printing of the label information on the label sheets is further based on the selective induction. Further, the printing of the label information creates the labels for the intravenous infusion lines.