If it lies still, print on it! That’s my motto!

Inkjet printing has made its way to the local espresso bar; at least it’s not far away! Take a look at this handy dandy little machine that will print a personalized message on the foam floating on your latte.

At SIGGRAPH 2008 - the 35th International Conference & Exposition on Computer Graphics and Interactive Technologies -  a prototype machine was taking advantage of yet one more flat surface to present a computer generated image.

Displaying images on the surface of a hot beverage is a non-trivial task. Certain drinks, however, have a tiny layer of bubbles on top, which provides sufficient isolation for colorant droplets to form a clear and sustainable image.

Latte Art Machine exploits this phenomenon to render the most stunning latte art images on a variety of premium espresso-based drinks. The machine explores a new medium by combining existing inkjet technology with the freedom of artistic expression.

Attendees got a special preview and description.