PrintedCircuitBoard
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EX1 prints circuits on paper, cloth, almost anything you can imagine
Printing a circuit isn't exactly a new idea. In fact, researchers have been putting down silver nano particles using a process similar to ink-jet printing for years. Heck, you can even hack your existing desktop unit to do the same thing with about $300 in components. Still, a retail-ready circuit printing machine has so far managed to elude us. That's where the EX¹ hopes to make its mark. With most of the early bird specials already gone, you'll have to pledge at least $1,499 to its Kickstarter campaign to get one, which puts it firmly in prosumer territory. (And that's just for the version that requires some assembly.) But there's no denying the allure. The EX¹ uses two different "ink" cartridges to lay down layers of material that will form lines of silver nano particles. And, thanks to its flatbed design, you can print your customized circuits on anything from standard PCBs, to cloth, wood or even paper. The company has even built a custom software suite that simplifies the printing process. You can simply import an image of a circuit and hit print (they're pretty easy to find with a Google Image Search). Or, if you're feeling more adventurous, you can sketch out the circuit yourself and take control of all the printing variables. The EX¹ has already doubled its funding goal with four weeks left in its campaign. If you're interested and have the cash hit up the source to pledge your support. But be advised, you'll need to be patient -- the estimated shipping date is currently July of 2014. (And we all know how good a track record Kickstarter campaigns have at meeting shipping targets.) Before you go, make sure to check out the video after the break.
Engineer makes light-up business cards with 555 timer, proves PCB skills
Sure, there have been some pretty creative variations on the standard paper business card, but if you're looking to make a career in electronics engineering, card stock isn't necessarily the best option for material. Such was the case for one student, who had the canny idea to make a card that demonstrates his printed circuit board know-how. He used a 555 timer that outputs a clock to the LEDs on the biz card, and placing a nine-volt battery on the terminals sets off the mini light show. See for yourself in the video below.
Researchers print a fully-functional OLED control circuit using an inkjet
Don't worry, this isn't about teaching bacteria how to climb out of a petri dish and follow a subway map. The picture above actually shows an OLED display control circuit that was quickly and cheaply manufactured thanks to the joys of inkjet printing. Its makers at UCLA start-up Aneeve Nanotechnologies also claim their carbon nanotube circuit yields better performance than traditional silicon counterparts and should therefore be considered a competing technology. On the other hand, it's also true that inkjet circuitry has been around in various forms for years, so we must return to the fundamental question: will we ever be able to afford one of these?
Genesi i.MX 53 netbooks, nettops to take Freescale machines deeper into the bargain basement
Back in March, Genesi announced its plans to target emerging markets by dropping the price of its Efika MX Smartbook and Smarttop machines. Those devices packed i.MX 51 CPUs, and post-cut price tags of $199 and $129, respectively. Now the San Antonio-based outfit is hinting at any even bigger price break for the developing world with the introduction of its i.MX 53 netbook PCB. According to a Genesi rep at the Freescale Technology Forum, the board, which is significantly smaller than its predecessor, is "as cheap as we can possibly make it," and will likely power even more cost efficient Genesi computers in the near future. No word on just how low Genesi is willing to go, but it's shooting for an i.MX 53 debut sometime this summer. If cheap is your thing, check out the PCB in all its glory after the break.
Print your own circuit boards with an Inkjet (and a modicum of skill)
Remember yesterday, when one illustrious modder whipped up a head-mounted computer that featured a printed circuit board of his own design? The fabrication method he used was called direct-to-PCB Inkjet printing. An economical (if laborious) alternative to professional production, the process includes: designing your circuit, printing it out on a transparency, flickin' on some lightbulbs, washing things out in abrasive chemicals, and waving a magic wand. While it's not for the timid (nor simple enough to go through in great detail here) the kids over at Instructables have been kind enough to put together and post one of their award-winning step-by-step guides on this very subject. So, what are you waiting for? Hit the read link and get to work.
Samsung's 3.5-inch Hybrid Touch Screen Panel LCD
Some behind-the-"screens" work just completed by Samsung will soon enable many of the portable devices you enjoy to offer thinner and lighter touch panel displays. The Korean electronics giant has announced a new LCD technology called hTSP (Hybrid Touch Screen Panel) that will allow manufacturers to incorporate touch screen functionality directly into the TFT fabrication process, whereas most current touch-sensitive applications require a separate, sensor-laden printed circuit board (PCB) attached to the top of the display. So far the company is able to create LCDs as big as 3.5 inches using the new method, meaning that you can expect to see hTSP-sporting smartphones, PMPs, and nav devices on store shelves in the near future.
