Flexible electronic devices may be on the horizon. Engineers at the University of Illinois have developed an ultra-thin silicon that can be bonded to rubber. Since silicon chips constitute the lifeblood of digital technology, a breakthrough like this opens up the possibility of creating a range of electronic devices that can be bent and folded like a piece of paper.
Bend-Tech
One of the most important applications for this technology could be in the biomedical field. Up until this point, it has been difficult to create electronic devices that work well with humans. The problem is that silicon wafers are extremely brittle, and the human body is not shaped like a silicon wafer.
In a world where electronics can be designed to conform to any shape, these problems will all but disappear.
Individual components like transistors have been synthesized using this method, and more complex integrated circuits are well along the way. The downside is that these chips, as they stand, do not compare to the performance of standard, high-grade silicon wafers.
That being said, technologies such as these will eventually allow electronics to more easily and more inconspicuously integrated into the devices that we use everyday.
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