In an attempt to combine the electronic activation of a monitor with the superior legibility of printed paper, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and various manufacturers are working on what is known as electronic paper.
In one version, the paper contains tiny spheres with different colors on different sides, which rotate when exposed to electric fields and thus present different colors. Another type of electronic paper contains small, transparent capsules filled with dye and white particles. When an electrical field is applied, these particles float to the top, making the surface of the paper look white. Otherwise, the effect of the dye is dominant.