Stretchy silicon circuits wrap around complex shapes, like your wife

by Thomas Ricker posted Mar 28th 2008 at 5:41AM

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.

Filed under: Misc. Gadgets

Tags: bend, john rogers, JohnRogers, nanotechnology, rubber, silicon, twist, university of illinois, UniversityOfIllinois

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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

Neutral

Artiom @ Mar 28th 2008 6:06AM

The title is priceless!

Neutral

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

The title is over-the-top sexist crap.

Neutral

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

Neutral

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.

Highly Ranked

az1324 @ Mar 28th 2008 6:06AM

Leave her out of this.

Neutral

Liam @ Mar 28th 2008 6:13AM

ELECTRONIC PAPER

No?

Neutral

Kris @ Mar 28th 2008 7:59PM

Circuit Board != Display

Didn't you _at least_ read the summary?

Neutral

Kris @ Mar 28th 2008 12:45PM

Circuit Board != Display

Didn't you _at least_ read the summary?

Neutral

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.

Neutral

ED @ Mar 28th 2008 6:27AM

That's Doctor Scientists to you.

Neutral

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.

Neutral

SimonRichards @ Mar 28th 2008 7:34AM

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

Neutral

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!!!

Highly Ranked