Hot-wired

Trying to follow the right cable amongst the spaghetti behind today’s audio,
video and PC systems is a real pain. But Olivetti of Italy and Oracle of
California have found a way to make life easier (GB 2 336 711). The firms
suggest coating all the cables with a film of a conductive polymer, topped with
a layer of thermochromic ink, the sort used in batteries with built-in testers.
Feeding a current through the polymer heats it up and temporarily changes the
colour of the ink, highlighting the cable you want.