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Addressing the challenges of "Reinventing our machines", "Rethinking how we work",
"Redefining the document" bring together many disciplines and technical competencies.
Xerox is unique in this respect in that its research has spanned everything from
mechanical and electrical engineering through the basic physical sciences through
to social science and psychology. Xerox's research and technology centers around
the world each bring together their unique perspective. Looking deeper at our work
you will see some of the frontier areas that we pursue.
Reinventing Our Machines
Today's xerographic systems involve the integration of many technologies for marking
systems, materials and imaging. The frontier area for marking systems is miniaturization,
or getting more performance out of a smaller footprint. The trend towards smaller and
smaller systems has been around since the very first redesign of the original 914.
Today, Xerox scientists are leading in the development of Micro-Electrical Mechanical
Systems (MEMS) that will fundamentally change marking systems. MEMS systems will allow
us to put more sensing and intelligence into our machines. They will also enable
entirely new marking systems, as alternatives to xerography. As more subsystems come
under computer control, our engineers are thinking about ways of enhancing diagnostic
and prognostic capability as well as adding new service capabilities. Xerox
researchers are also redefining the materials used in the xerographic process via
nanotechnoogy. A new chemical toner introduced into the market in 2002 is an example
of our progress here.
Rethinking How We Work
Work, whether physical or mental, is task oriented and involves people, processes and
equipment. Technology has been an enabler for simplifying work and increasing our
capacity to do work. Xerox researchers are addressing many of the challenges we face
in our work today. One theme of our research is studying workflow for the purpose of
optimizing what people, processes and equipment accomplish through work. Another theme
is about helping us to manage information overload. Another addresses mobile access to
information, printers, and services. Yet another theme is automating repetitive tasks.
Xerox scientists working on mobile systems,
information retrieval and content analysis
are developing tools to improve how people work. They are also looking at ways of
capturing the expertise of skilled workers and making that knowledge available to
others. In one example scientists have devised a process that optimizes our customers
printshop environment, re-arranging equipment and workflow. Another example involves
automatically generating esthetically pleasing documents with variable information
content.
Redefining the Document
Xerox researchers are expanding the boundaries of today's documents in many directions.
Imaging scientists are applying their expertise to invent ways of embedding information
within paper-based documents. In addition to increasing the information content of paper
documents these technologies will lead to information redundancy and new security
applications. Xerox physicists and materials scientists working with
nano-particle systems and organic electronic materials are finding new ways to create
display media that will have the properties of paper, but which will integrate seamlessly
into the digital world.
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