A thermochromic composition including a dye molecule; a matrix, wherein the matrix comprises a material having a defined melting point; and an optional developer. A process for preparing a thermochromic composition, including providing a dye; heating a matrix above its melting point; adding the heated matrix to the dye until the dye dissolves in the matrix; optionally, adding a developer; wherein the thermochromic composition exhibits a first color at a first temperature and a second color at a second temperature; wherein the first color and the second color are different; and wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are different.

A receipt roll for a receipt printer of a point of sale system, the receipt roll has a substrate for the printing of receipt information by the receipt printer, and at least one near field RF communicator carried by the substrate and configured to store a unique identifier for communicating via near field communications to a near Held communication device in near field range.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a multilayer data medium (1), in which method: a multilayer data medium, including at least one transparent security layer (16), and at least one marking layer (17), sensitive to electromagnetic-marking radiation (5), are selected; the transparent security layer (16) includes at least one semi-transparent printed image including at least one thermochromic dye; at least one marking (30) is made using the electromagnetic-marking radiation, through the printed image; the semi-transparent printed image reveals, in a first state referred to as the inactivated state, at least one semi-transparent visible pattern that makes it possible, after the marking step, to view the marking (30) through the image, the pattern not being visible in a second state, referred to as the activated state. The invention also relates to a multilayer data medium (1).

Exercise mats, systems of exercise mats, and related methods of making and/or using the same are provided herein. More specifically, the subject matter disclosed herein relates to exercise mats, such as yoga mats, and systems of exercise mats that provide visual cues and/or different levels of tackiness to provide different levels of grip to optimize a user's connection to the mat and methods related to the exercise mats.

A drawing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a storage, a generator, and a drawing section. The storage stores a conversion table that describes a correspondence relationship between gradation values in a leuco color space and output setting values of light sources. The generator generates, on the basis of leuco image data described in the leuco color space and the conversion table, the output setting values corresponding to the leuco image data. The drawing section performs drawing on a recording medium on the basis of the output setting values generated by the generator, the recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the plurality of recording layers each including a leuco dye and a photothermal conversion agent.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a multilayer data medium (1), in which method: a multilayer data medium, including at least one transparent security layer (16), and at least one marking layer (17), sensitive to electromagnetic-marking radiation (5), are selected; the transparent security layer (16) includes at least one semi-transparent printed image including at least one thermochromic dye; at least one marking (30) is made using the electromagnetic-marking radiation, through the printed image; the semi-transparent printed image reveals, in a first state referred to as the inactivated state, at least one semi-transparent visible pattern that makes it possible, after the marking step, to view the marking (30) through the image, the pattern not being visible in a second state, referred to as the activated state. The invention also relates to a multilayer data medium (1).

A laser marking system (10) comprises a marking controller (11) operable to control a plurality of laser diodes (13) to emit light through optical fibre (14) such that the emitting, ends of the optical fibres (14) form a multi-emitter array. Light emitted from the emitting ends of the optical fibres (14) is focussed by a lensing arrangement (15) on a substrate (16). The lensing arrangement (15) is substantially telecentric such that the non-telecentric angle, θ.sub.t, of the telecentric lens assembly satisfies (Formula I) where θ.sub.1/2 is the half angle divergence of the emitter beam and 1/F is the fraction of the emitter spot diameter d.sub.o that corresponds to the maximum acceptable displacement in the image plane.

A thermochromic composition including a dye molecule; a matrix, wherein the matrix comprises a material having a defined melting point; and an optional developer. A process for preparing a thermochromic composition, including providing a dye; heating a matrix above its melting point; adding the heated matrix to the dye until the dye dissolves in the matrix; optionally, adding a developer; wherein the thermochromic composition exhibits a first color at a first temperature and a second color at a second temperature; wherein the first color and the second color are different; and wherein the first temperature and the second temperature are different.

Aspects of the invention include color change compositions having a color former and color developer composition that transitions from a first color state to a second color state upon application of an applied stimulus and an amount of a copolymer sufficient to eliminate background color of the color former and color developer composition during transition from the first color state to the second color state. Methods for preparing and devices employing the color change compositions of the invention are also described.

A drawing system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a storage, a generator, and a drawing section. The storage stores a conversion table that describes a correspondence relationship between gradation values in a leuco color space and output setting values of light sources. The generator generates, on the basis of leuco image data described in the leuco color space and the conversion table, the output setting values corresponding to the leuco image data. The drawing section performs drawing on a recording medium on the basis of the output setting values generated by the generator, the recording medium including a plurality of recording layers, the plurality of recording layers each including a leuco dye and a photothermal conversion agent.