It goes without saying that just about every single electronic device that one comes across these days will arrive with a kind of printed circuit board (PCB) in it. In a nutshell, PCBs happen to be an integral segment of modern technology, but there is one particular drawback which might prevent them from being further incorporated into everyday life – they happen to be rather inflexible. Researchers at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (HKPU) might be on to something new this time around, by making use of computerized knitting technology in order to come up with fabric circuit boards (FCBs).
The FCBs which were developed by scientists Qiao Li and Xiao Ming Tao at HKPU happen to be a combination of conductive fibrous metal materials as well as traditional fabric. These wires happen to be the equivalent of the circuits on a regular board, while the fabric would function as the mounting material that will ensure that all are in the correct orientation, while delivering insulation for different circuits. Expect these finished FCBs to carry 3D circuits which will be resistant to bending, stretching, and washing.
In fact, the researchers were curious enough to see how the FCBs reacted to a bullet shot, and it managed to take a few rounds without missing a beat – which means it is a whole lot tougher than originally imagined, and we cannot wait to see what kind of integration or application that the FCBs will see in the future. Wearable technology is going to get a whole lot interesting, that is for sure!
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