Overview
Air-Ink is a brand of ink manufactured from captured air pollution. It is produced by Graviky Labs, a company that originated as a research spin-off from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Media Lab and is associated with operations in Bengaluru, India. The product converts soot and particulate matter from vehicular exhaust and diesel generators into pigment for inks and paints used by artists, designers and printmakers.
Key facts
| Product | Air-Ink |
|---|---|
| Type | Ink made from recovered air pollutants |
| Manufacturer | Graviky Labs |
| Origin | MIT Media Lab research; commercial development based in Bengaluru, India |
| Founder | Anirudh Sharma (co-founder of Graviky Labs) |
| Raw material | Particulate matter (soot) captured from exhaust emissions |
| Capture device | Kaalink, a retrofittable exhaust filter developed by Graviky Labs |
Background
The concept behind Air-Ink emerged from research by Anirudh Sharma, who explored the idea of repurposing carbon soot — a major component of urban air pollution — as a usable pigment. The underlying technology was prototyped at the MIT Media Lab before being developed into a commercial product through Graviky Labs.
Carbon-rich particulate matter is a known component of vehicular and industrial exhaust and a contributor to poor ambient air quality in many Indian cities. By trapping this soot before it enters the atmosphere and refining it into a stable pigment, Air-Ink positions waste carbon as an industrial input rather than an environmental burden.
Technology
The process involves two main stages:
- Capture: A device called Kaalink is fitted to the exhaust outlets of diesel vehicles, generators or chimneys, where it traps particulate matter before it is released.
- Processing: The captured soot is treated to remove heavy metals and carcinogens, and the residual carbon is processed into pigment, which is then formulated into inks and paints.
Air-Ink has been produced in formats including marker pens, screen-printing inks and oil-based artist paints.
Timeline
- Early concept work on converting soot into ink at the MIT Media Lab.
- Founding of Graviky Labs to commercialise the Kaalink capture device and Air-Ink product line.
- Public launch of Air-Ink supported by a crowdfunding campaign, which brought the product to international attention.
- Subsequent collaborations with artists, brands and printmakers across cities in Asia, Europe and North America.
Applications
Air-Ink has been used by visual artists, illustrators and street artists for murals and gallery works, as well as by brands for limited-edition packaging and printed campaigns. The product is often associated with awareness initiatives that link artistic output directly to the volume of polluted air diverted in its making.
Significance
Air-Ink is frequently cited as an early commercial example of carbon upcycling, where pollutants are converted into consumer goods. It has been featured in design and sustainability discussions as a case study in circular materials, and it highlights India's role as a site of clean-technology innovation addressing urban air quality.
Related topics
- Graviky Labs
- Anirudh Sharma
- MIT Media Lab
- Air pollution in India
- Carbon capture and utilisation
- Bengaluru
References
- Wikidata entity: Q28153983
- Graviky Labs — official information on Air-Ink and Kaalink technology.