Stretchy silicon circuits wrap around complex shapes, like your wife

The first "completely integrated, extremely bendable circuit" was just demonstrated to the world. The team behind the research is led by John Rogers of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The process bonds circuit sheets measuring just 1.5 micrometers (50 times thinner than human hair) to a piece of pre-stretched rubber. That allows the circuits to buckle like an accordion when pulled or twisted without losing their electrical properties. Unfortunately, the materials used thus far are not compatible with human tissue. In other words, no X-ray vision implant for you. X-ray contacts perhaps... quantum-computers now, please Mr. Scientists? Watch a circuit buckle in the video after the break.

[Via BBC, thanks YoJIMbo]

Stretchy Silicon Circuits from Engadget on Vimeo.

[Artiom @ Mar 28th 2008 6:06AM]

The title is priceless!

[male but offended @ Mar 29th 2008 3:20AM]

The title is over-the-top sexist crap.

[Thomas Ricker @ Mar 29th 2008 5:34AM]

@male but offended,

Sexist, really? So you're saying it's somehow discriminating or meant as hatred towards women? Pfff.

Fact is, a woman's shape is infinitely more complex than a flat circuit board and the vast majority of our readers are men.

The only point you can challenge me on is the possibility of our readers (or editors) being lucky enough to trick one into marring them.

Thomas

[male but offended @ Mar 30th 2008 5:15AM]

@ Thomas Ricker

Thanks for responding. Certainly not hateful, no, but reducing women to wives, and then to their shapes. Men have complex shapes too; why not have said "like yours"? As you say, the majority of Engadget's readers are probably men; is this going to make whatever women are here feel welcome? Would you have said it in a woman's physical presence, or would you have thought it comes across as "laddish" and a bit demeaning? Give it a thought.

[az1324 @ Mar 28th 2008 6:06AM]

Leave her out of this.

[Liam @ Mar 28th 2008 6:13AM]

ELECTRONIC PAPER

No?

[Kris @ Mar 28th 2008 7:59PM]

Circuit Board != Display

Didn't you _at least_ read the summary?

[Kris @ Mar 28th 2008 12:45PM]

Circuit Board != Display

Didn't you _at least_ read the summary?

[Liam @ Mar 28th 2008 9:02PM]

Current e-paper prototypes require a box on the side, thus making them not nearly as convenient as normal paper. With this, any circuitry could be built right in. It'd be just a flat sheet, nothing else. If we married this with flexible batteries (which have been invented), you could get a whole computer in that paper. Maybe even use a photosensitive dye on the back, generating its own power. Bit of a pipe dream...

I did read the summary, don't be so hostile.

[ED @ Mar 28th 2008 6:27AM]

That's Doctor Scientists to you.

[scott @ Mar 28th 2008 6:55AM]

lol probably one of the biggest technological achievements of our time and engadget manages to tie in a "yo momma" joke XD.

[SimonRichards @ Mar 28th 2008 7:34AM]

If you end up marrying your mother then youre a serious fuck-up, no question.

[baldo @ Mar 28th 2008 7:03AM]

This is awesome!

We now have flexible circuits, the US government is working on a contact lens HUD "similar to first person shooter games", and OLED - which is super flexy and thin already.

Can't wait to see what happens when we merge them all!!!

[roflercopterer @ Mar 28th 2008 7:09AM]

This is one of the best comments I have EVER read on engadget.

[Kurian @ Mar 28th 2008 7:09AM]

iPhone related crap after the video is over...

[Danny @ Mar 28th 2008 7:25AM]

Yeah, um, I don't think Engadget had much control over that one buddy.

[Kurian @ Mar 28th 2008 7:31AM]

It was an ad for THEIR iPhone crap.

[Danny @ Mar 28th 2008 7:44AM]

Haha it was too! Sorry mate :P

[Surur @ Mar 28th 2008 7:21AM]

What a Gizmodo-like headline? IS Engadget going to prank the CTIA next too?

[jps6882 @ Mar 28th 2008 7:28AM]

That's a whole lot of circuit to go around my wife

[ReggieXuk @ Mar 28th 2008 7:58AM]

I haven't got a wife yet.

[Frank Furter @ Mar 28th 2008 8:40AM]

This is one of the worst comments I have EVER read on engadget.

[Richard @ Mar 28th 2008 8:54AM]

No wrapping function has yet been invented to cover the convolutions of the personality of my (ex) wife.

[YoJIMbo @ Mar 28th 2008 10:25AM]

Does Engadget secretly want all of us to have cybernetic wives?

[heckljeckl @ Mar 28th 2008 10:51AM]

Secretly?

[YoJIMbo @ Mar 28th 2008 11:06AM]

Sorry.... I meant to say "secretly."

[Matt @ Mar 28th 2008 11:03AM]

or YOUR MOTHER! you bastard.

...sorry, I'm very protective of my non-existent wife.

[DaSpider @ Apr 6th 2008 10:40PM]

Didn't get the joke. Can it be because I'm still single?

[UKNigel @ Mar 28th 2008 2:19PM]

This is one of the comments I have read on Engadget.

[Nando @ Mar 28th 2008 10:52PM]

Circuit bending just took a new meaning...

[scott @ Apr 4th 2008 9:13AM]

correction: "yo wife" joke