OREANDA-NEWS. Yoshihiko Hotta, an Executive specialist in the IMS Division of Ricoh, was awarded the Johann Gutenberg prize for the year 2014 from IS&T (the Society for Imaging Science & Technology). The award ceremony took place on September 10 at the NIP30 (the 30th International Conference on Advances in Non-Impact Printing Technologies), a major annual meeting of the society held in the U.S.

The Johann Gutenberg prize, which has been granted every year since 1987 to one or two people who have made a significant contribution to the science and technology of printing. This award is presented by IS&T under the sponsorship of Hewlett-Packard Laboratories in the U.S.

Hotta has been engaged in the research and development of thermal recording technology and rewritable recording technology since he joined Ricoh in 1978. The award was given in recognition of his contributions to thermal rewritable technology, which he has been working on since 1986.

Through Hotta's efforts, Ricoh was able to develop opaque type rewritable technology that can change into transparent or opaque by the application of heat and the development of leuco type rewritable technology that can change color using leuco dye. The rewritable loyalty cards widely used today were made possible through this technology.

Ricoh also undertook the research and development of the "Ricoh Rewritable Laser System" (hereinafter "Rewritable Laser System") that established a new process for image printing capable of performing about 1,000 contactless rewrites. This led to significant improvements in high-speed printing and erasure as well as the photostability and repetition durability of labels. It is also a system for distribution solutions as it expanded rewritable technology that had been limited to indoor use into outdoor applications.