Since the initial discovery in 1977, that polyacetylene (CH) x , now commonly known as the prototype conducting polymer, could be p-or n-doped either chemically or electronically to the metallic state, the development of the ®eld of conducting polymers, synthetic metals'', has continued to accelerate at an unexpectedly rapid rate and a variety of other conducting polymers and their derivatives have been discovered. Potential new science/technology has been developed by combining the now well established ®eld of electronic polymers (intrinsically conducting polymers Ð synthetic metals'', when doped) with the emerging ®eld of nanoscience (one dimension <100 nm). A simple and inexpensive method is described for producing conducting patterns of electronic polymers on plastic and paper from computer-designed patterns. This method, ``Line Patterning'', does not involve printing of the conducting polymers. The difference in hydrophobicity/hydrophilicty between a substrate and a line of regular toner printed on it by a non-modi®ed, standard of®ce laser printer results in conducting polymer areas separated by insulating toner lines. # 2000 the Nobel Foundation. Reproduced with the kind permission of the Nobel Foundation.