Rainbow Technique

A Seminar Report

Submitted by

MOHAMMAD.HANIF

in partial fulfillment for the award of the degree

of

B. Tech
Electronics and Telecommunication

At
Shri Guru Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering
and
Technology, Nanded
Department of Electronics and
Telecommunication
Engineering

December 2016

DEPARTMENT OF
ELECTRONICS AND TELECOMMUNICATION ENGINEERING,
S. G. G. S. INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY,
VISHNUPURI,NANDED (M.S.), INDIA-431606.

CERTIFICATE
This is to certify that the dissertation entitled Rainbow Technique is a dissertation
work carried out by Mr. Mohammad Hanif (Reg. No. 2013BEC011) under our supervision
and guidance at Department of Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering, Shri Guru
Gobind Singhji Institute of Engineering and Technology, Nanded for the award of the
degree of Bachelor of Technology in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering.
The content of this dissertation work, in full or parts have not been submitted to any
other Institute or University for the award of any other degree or diploma.
Date: 13 Dec 2016
Place: Nanded.

Miss Jyoti Hake

Dr.A.B.Gonde

Dr. L. M. Waghmare

Guide

Head of Department

Director

S.G.G.S.I.E. and T.,

S.G.G.S.I.E. and T.,

Nanded.

Nanded.

S.G.G.S.I.E. and T.,

Nanded.

ii

DECLARATION
We declare that this written submission represents our ideas in our own words and where
others' ideas or words have been included, we have adequately cited and referenced the
original sources. We also declare that we have adhered to all principles of academic honesty
and integrity and have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any idea/data/fact/source
in our submission. We understand that any violation of the above will be cause for
disciplinary action by the Institute and can also evoke penal action from the sources which
have thus not been properly cited or from whom proper permission has not been taken when
needed.

_________________________________
(Signature)
_________________________________
(Name of the student)
_________________________________
(Reg. No./Roll No.)
Date: __________

iii

ABSTRACT
I prepared Rainbow Technology as my academic seminar topic and it was a study to explore data
representation capability of colors. Most of the living organisms are getting huge amount of data
through vision. Our eye can only understand colors and colors only. But our brain is doing many
complex operations (like distance calculation of objects by using images from two eyes) by using
this colors. We can identify distance of two objects (which one is closure) in different
environments. So the visible light (colors) contains a huge amount of data.
Rainbow technology, a breakthrough in digital data storage enables us to store up to a massive
450GB on just a piece of paper. Rainbow Storage is a group of techniques to store digital data in
some colors, color combinations and some symbols known as rainbow format, and therefore a
rainbow picture will be generated. The technique is used to achieve high-density storage. With the
help of Rainbow system, it would be watching full-length high-definition videos from a piece of
paper.
The main attraction is the cheap paper. The rainbow technology is feasible because printed
text, readable by the human eye does not make optimal use of the potential capacity of paper to
store data. By printing the data encoded in a denser way much higher capacities can be achieved
and the new trend will be generated in the field of data storage technique. Since it is in developing
phase but I am sure that this technology will prove it a grand success in forthcoming years and
out throw the existing technologies of data storage.

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Contents
Chapter

Title

Page No

No

Certificate
Declaration
Abstract
Acknowledgement
Introduction

iii
iv
vii
1

Literature review

03

2.1

Several examples

03

Basic principals of rainbow technology

04

3.1

Principal 1

04

3.2

Principal 2

04

Working Method

05

Representation of data

06

Absolute rainbow dots

07

Process of storing data

08

Implementatuion requirement

09

Application

10

10

Facts about rainbow techonology

11

11

Advantages

12

12

Disadvantages

14

13

Conclusion

15

14

Reference

16

List of Figures
1. CD DVD things of past

04

2. Data stored in rainbow format on paper

05

3. Working method

06

4. Representation of data from file to rainbow format

07

5. Absolute working of RT dots

08

6. Plastic paper

10

vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I declare that this written submission represents my ideas in my own words and where
others' ideas or words have been included, I have adequately cited and referenced the original
sources. I also declare that I have adhered to all principles of academic honesty and integrity
and have not misrepresented or fabricated or falsified any idea/data/fact/source in my
submission. I understand that any violation of the above will be cause for disciplinary action
by the Institute and can also evoke penal action from the sources which have thus not been
properly cited or from whom proper permission has not been taken when needed.

vii

1.

Introduction

Rainbow technology is a developing paper-based data storage technique first demonstrated by

Indian student SainulAbideen in November 2006. Abideen received his MCA from MES
Engineering College in Kuttipuram in Keralas Malappuram district.
Actually rainbow storage is not a method to store data on paper but it is a group of
techniques to represent data in the form of color, color groups and some symbols. We can use
any color representable media storage medium including paper and plastic sheets. Paper and
ink is not the only way to represent color, there are other efficient methods available now and
manykind of researches are going on in different parts of the world.
Definitely, ordinary sheet of paper with normal printer and scanner will give poor
density, but it can be used for some specific purposes.It put forward the concept of disposal
storage. We can create many useful products like digital catalogue for commercial products.
Instead of using 0s and 1s here we are using color dots. Each color dots can represent
minimum 8 bits. If we are using some powerful mode of representations we can represent
more data on a single spot. By using some groups and symbols, we can also increase the
density in to some context.
Initial newspaper reports of the technology were debunked by multiple technical
sources, although Abideen says those reports were based on a misunderstanding of the
technology. The paper meant to demonstrate the capabilities of storing relatively large
amounts of data using textures and diagrams.
The rainbow data storage technology claims to use geometrical shapes such as
triangles, circles and squares of various colures to store a large amount of data on ordinary
paper or plastic surface. This would provide several advantages over current forms of optical
or magnetic data storage like less environmental pollution due to the biodegradability of
paper, low cost and high capacity. Data could be stored on Rainbow Versatile Disk (RVD)
or plastic/paper cards of any form factor (like SIM cards.)

1
Sainul Abideen demonstrated his technology to the college and members of the Indian
press in the MES College of Engineering computer lab, Kerla, and was able to compress 450
sheets plain text from foolscap paper into a 1 inch square.
He also demonstrated a 45-second audio clip compressed using this technology on to
an A4 sheet. Depending on the sampling frequency, bit depth, and audio compression, a 45second audio clip can consist of anywhere from a few kilobytes to a few megabytes of data.
Abideen claimed that the technology could be extended to 250 gigabytes by using specific
materials and devices.
The main attraction is the cheap paper. The Rainbow technology is feasible because
printed text, readable by the human eye is a very wasteful use of the potential capacity of
paper to store data. By printing the data encoded in a denser way much higher capacities can
be achieved. Paper is, of course, bio-degradable, unlike CDs or DVDs. And sheets of paper
also cost a fraction of the cost of a CD or DVD.

2.

Literature Review
Every new technology invented or evolved is compared with the existing technology

with respect to different criteria like cost, time to manufacture, boons and bans etc. so this
Rainbow Technology is also compared with the existing storage devices to make an
appropriate evaluation of the new developing technology. This will provide a clear picture to
all of us that how this technology change the trend of storing data and nurtures the storage
capacity.
2.1 Currently, there are several options are available for data storage, like CDs and
DVDs, which are the best mode, but are yet expensive and everyone cannot afford to
buy it regularly and are not rewritable except in few cases, and are not available in
remote areas or interior villages.
2.2 While a CD costs Rs. 15, his paper or plastic-made RVD will cost just about Rs.1.50
and will even have 131 times more storage capacity, so by comparing the prices of
both technique, one will surely choose the RVDs.
2.3 Using this technology an A4 sheet of paper could store 450 GB of data. In
comparison, a DVD can store 4.7GB of data. So again a better side for rainbow
technology which will efficiently make the difference in capacity of storing data.
2.4 Paper is, of course, bio-degradable, unlike CDs or DVDs which are made up of
plastic and polymers which are hazardous waste for our environment and creates lot
of pollution. And sheets of paper also cost a fraction of the cost of a CD or DVD.

Fig 1: CD, DVDs a thing of past

3

3.

Basic Principle Of Rainbow Technology

This technology is based on two principles:

3.1 Principle I:
Every colour or colour combinations can be converted in to some values that the colours or
colour combinations can be generated.
3.2Principle II:
Every different colour or colour combinations will produce different values.

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4.

Working Methods
In rainbow technology, the data in any format termed rainbow format has been

designed in such a way that it can be printed out in the form of images. The data is converted
to rainbow format on the basis of rainbow algorithm. Trigonometric forms like circle or
square, certain color combinations and certain other forms are being used. Each trigonometric
form, color combinations represents a complete pattern.
Most modern technologies like image processing, pattern processing, etc. are used for
the purpose. The data which gets converted into an image form is then printed on paper or any
other thing. This is how the data storage is made possible. When the steps are reversed, the
rainbow picture is converted into data.

Fig 2: Data stored in rainbow format on an ordinary paper.

It uses geometric shapes such as squares and hexagons to represent data patterns,
instead of the usual binary method that uses ones and zeros to represent data. Besides, color is

also used in the Rainbow system, to represent other data elements. Files such as text, images,
sounds and video clips are encoded in "rainbow format" as colored circles, triangles, squares
and so on, and printed as dense graphics on paper at a density of 2.7GB per square inch. An
RVD therefore looks like a print-out of the modern art.
The paper can then be read through a specially developed scanner and the contents
decoded into their original digital format and viewed or played.

The Rainbow Technology is feasible because printed text, readable by the human eye is a very
wasteful use of the potential capacity of paper to store data.
By printing the data encoded in a denser way much higher capacities can be achieved.
The retrieval of data is done by scanning the paper or the plastic sheet containing the data into
a scanner and later reading it over monitor. Instead of using 0s and 1s, we use color dots
where each color dot can represent minimum 8 bits (1 byte). The rainbow picture will be
highly compressed and can be represented in any color medium. For retrieving the contents
from the medium, picture can be captured and data can be generated from the color
combinations. "Although environmental light differences and color shading is a problem, it
can overcome up to a certain limit by using efficient mapping functions".

Fig 3: Working Method

6

5.

Representation Of Data
A chunk of data bits are taken from a data source, which is known as a word. The

word can be converted into a value that will be unique for each different combination of bits.
Thus a picture will be generated by representing values as colors. The value will then pass
through some error checking mechanism. After producing some error correction bits, it will be
attached to the data picture. Thus the final output will be generated. Now the data picture can
be printed in any printable media.

Fig 4: Representation of data from a file to Rainbow Format

6.

Absolute Rainbow Dots

Absolute Rainbow Dots are used to detect errors caused by scratches, and whether any

fading has concerned. Absolute rainbow dots are predefined dots carrying a unique value.
These dots can be inserted in the rainbow picture in pre-specified areas.
If fading occurs these dot values will change accordingly, and at the reproduction
stage this can be checked and corrected. Absolute rainbow dots will be microscopically small
so that they occupy very little space in the rainbow picture. These will be colored differently
so that each dot will have its own fixed unique value.

Fig 5: Absolute Working Of RT Dots

7.

Process Of Storing Data

Level 1-Data to Data Pictures:

Data ta Data Picture conversion takes place in four steps.
1. A chunk of data bits are taken from data source, which is known as a word.
2. The word can be converted into a value that will be unique for each different combination of
bits.
3. The value then passes through error checking mechanisms. After producing error correction
bits, it will attach to the data picture.
4. Thus the final output(Data Output) will be generated.

Level 2-Data Pictures to Data:

Data Pictures to Data conversions uses just the reverse process.
1. Data Picture is taken as an input.
2. Value mapping functions are used for mapping the arrangements done on actual data.
3. Some errors that occur due to colour fading can also be handled at this stage. The values are
passed through error correction machine.
4. Then the value to word conversion takes place. The encoded Data Picture is hence decoded
into the result data.

8.

Implementation Requirements
In order to read the Rainbow prints, all that is required is a scanner and specialized

software. Smaller scanners could fit inside laptop computers or mobile phones, and read SIM
card-sized RVD's containing 5GB of data.
The recording media could be either paper or plastic sheets. The piece of paper or even plastic sheet
storing the data has just to be scanned in the scanner and read over the monitor. A scanning drive
based on the Rainbow software has simultaneously been developed which will come in smaller
sizes to be initially carried with the laptops and later to fit into their bodies.

Fig 6: Discs can now be developed from plastic paper too which will be able to hold 450 GB
of data.
The developer is simultaneously moulding the technology into 'Rainbow Cards' which will be of
SIM card size and store 5 GB of data equivalent to three films of DVD quality.
As 'Rainbow Cards' will become Popular, Rainbow Card Readers will replace CD drives of mobile
phone and computer notebooks and will enable more data in portable forms for mini digital readers.
Large scale manufacture of the Rainbow card will bring down its cost to just 50 paise.

10

9.

Applications

By using Rainbow Storage, we can develop many kinds of products. They include 1)
Disposable storage 2) RVD 3) Rainbow cards 4) Data centres
I)

Disposable storage:
Rainbow storage can be used to achieve Disposable storage. We can store any kind of data in
any kind of media that can represent colour. It can be used as one time storage. We can use
bio degradable materials here (because it is not intended for long time). This category of
products can be used for distribution of files, documents, etc. Here we can use even printers,

II)

scanners, cameras and so on as input and output devices.

RVD:

RVD (Rainbow Versatile Disk) is another product that can be developed by using Rainbow
Storage. We need to develop specific drives for reading and writing. It can hold huge amount
of data and it will be very cheap enough to reduce storage price dramatically. The technique
Vertical lining is used in RVD to ensure high density. Storage capacity will vary according to
III)

the nature of the mediums used.

Rainbow Cards:
Rainbow cards can be constructed as a cheap secondary storage medium for PDAs (Personal
Digital Assistant)and other small digital devices. They can be constructed in many standards
and sizes. The size can vary from visiting card size to the size of a SIM card. Specific readers

IV)

need to be attached with such devices.

Data Centres:
Datacentres are the static storage servers that can hold Peta Bytes of data. It will be a
sequential access storage system that can be used for secondary storage of data. We can
construct a data centre with a cost of around 35 lakhs.

11

10.

Facts About Rainbow Technology

Following the wide media attention this news received, some of the claims have been

debunked by various experts. However, Sainual Abideen says that the articles are all based on
misunderstanding.
Printing at 1,200 DPI leads to a theoretical maximum of 1,440,000 colour dots per
square inch. If a scanner can reliably distinguish between 256 unique colors, the maximum
possible storage is approximately 140MB for a sheet of A4 paper. If the scanner were able to
accurately distinguish between 16,777,216 colures (24 bits, or 3 bytes per dots), the capacity
would triple claims of several 100 GB.

Printing this quantity of unique colours would require specialized equipment to

generate many spot colours. The process colour model used by most printers provides only
four colours, with additional colours simulated by a halftone pattern.
At least one of the three things must be valid:
1. The paper must be printed and scanned at a much higher resolution than 1,200 DPI.
2. The printer and scanner must be able to accurately produce and distinguish between an
extraordinary numbers of distinct colour values.
3. The compression scheme must be a revolutionary lossless compression algorithm.
The theory is: If rainbows geometric algorithm is to be encoded and decoded by a computer,
it would equally viable to store the compressed data on a conventional disk rather than
printing it to paper or other non-digital medium.

12

11.

Advantages

Data can be stored on an ordinary paper.

Abideen claims that huge data banks can be constructed out of Rainbow-based storage
medium.
Larger amount of data can be had on lesser space.
The extremely low-cost technology will drastically reduce the cost of storage and provide
for high speed storage too.

Files in any format like movie files, songs, images, text can be stored using this
technology.

His biodegradable nature of the storage devices would do away with the e-waste pollution.

The four main storage devices made using this technology are RVD, Disposable storage,
Data Banks, Rainbow cards, and answer to the storage problems faced by the computer world.

With the help of disposable storage,a high density data storage is made possible even on
paper or plastic sheets,any type of computer files can be stored and distributed this way,so
instead of giving cds with the computer magazines,its content can be printed in a page,video
albums, software etc.Can be distributed at avery low cost with the help disposable storage

Rainbow cards can be used in mobile devices in place of DVDs &VCDs.In a square inch
sized rainbow cards, (equivalent to the size of simcard)more than 5GB data can be stored.A
major crisis faced in the design of the small digital devices is the huge size of the CD/DVD
drives.The rainbow cards can solve this problem.Un-authorized copies of the films can be
controlled to a certain limits using these cards.A UK-based company has already evinced
interest in making rainbow cards

Another theme put forward by rainbow technology is the Data Banks;it is huge server with a
high storage capacity.As per a research project done in US in 2003 to store the available static
data(films,songs,tutorials presentations etc.)the server required will cost $500 crores(23000
crores)

13

But by using data banks ,a similar server can be made with Rs.35 lacks. All the available films
and other static data can be used by paying cash with the internet.Almost 125.603 PB data
storage is possible in a Data Bank.

Sainul is busy with project Xpre3ssa now.Its a software package for regional languages. By
using this, Newspapers, stories, novels etc. can be made audible in its own style.so online
newspapers and novels can be enjoyed through mobile phone with a GPRS
connection.SainulAbideen, a native of Karingappara, is a freelance software developer.

Un-authorized copies of the films can be controlled to a certain limit using these cards.

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12.

Disadvantages

Everything having a better side will always carry some black side also and same thing applies
to the rainbow technology. It have e mainly two disadvantages that;
I.
II.

The paper has the tendency to fade away hence the data loss may occur.
With the extremely low cost of using this technology we can always afford to have multiple

III.
IV.

copies.
Since it is made of paper, it can be easily destroyed.
A scanner can reliably distinguish 256 unique colours and the scanner which can distinguish
1,440,000 colours is costly.
Apart from the above mentioned disadvantages, the rainbow technology will prove itself a
grand success and in future it will overtake the existing data storage methods.

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13.

Conclusion
Technologies like these will lure us more towards it. In future, we will see RVDs

replacing DVDs and Blue Ray Disk as the major future storage device. To do that, it has to
overcome its shortcomings. Lets hope this environment friendly technology comes into our
everyday computing life.
In Rainbow Storage, we are converting digital data into some colours, colour
combinations, and some symbols known as rainbow format. Hence a rainbow Picture will be
generated. This picture will be highly compressed and it can be represented in any colour
representable medium.
Once the Rainbow technology is in, soon we would be watching full-length high
definition videos from a piece of paper! With the popularity of the Rainbow Technology,
computer or fashion magazines in future need not carry CDs in a pack.

One of the major advantages of the Rainbow system is the fact that it should cost a lot
less to produce than the typical polycarbonate DVDs, CDs and now Blue- rays. Huge data
banks can be constructed out of Rainbow-based storage medium.

16

14 References:
[1] "Data Can Now Be Stored on Paper", by M. A. Siraj, Arab News (published November
18, 2006; accessed November 29, 2006)
[2]Paper storage man misunderstood The Inquirer article, 12 December 2006 (retrieved 15
December 2006.
[3] "Store 256GB on an A4 sheet" by Chris Mellor, Techworld (published November 24,
2006; accessed November 29, 2006)

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