Tag Archives: circuit boards

Biodegradable, Single-Use Circuit Boards Printed on Paper

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Because most computing technology is notoriously earth-unfriendly with its inability to be reused or recycled, researchers at the State University of New York at Binghamton have developed circuit boards printed on paper that can be safely disposed of after a single use, either by burning or naturally biodegrading. Me? I love burning things. Just not my hand on the stove like I did this morning making oatmeal.

The paper is first printed with wax to create channels, then heated, so the wax melts, permeating the paper. Next, conductive metal is screen-printed onto the board, followed by the application of conductive and semi-conductive inks and an electrolyte gel to create the board’s resistors, capacitors, transistors, and wiring. The final result? A functional paper circuit board that could be eaten in the event you’re captured by the enemy.

Do you think this is the technology they use in Mission Impossible for those self-destructing messages? I sure hope so because otherwise, those agents were inhaling a lot of harmful chemicals if they didn’t vacate the area within five seconds. Like their missions weren’t already risky enough!

[via YankoDesign]

Man Builds Dream Desk from Circuit Boards Encased In Resin

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Because with enough liquid resin, anything is possible, YouTuber buildxyz constructed his dream standing desk by encasing printed circuit boards (PCBs) in clear plastic. What a beauty. As I’m sure Indiana Jones would agree, it belongs in a museum. Presumably, right alongside a bunch of old statues with missing arms.

In addition to some very beautiful woodworking, the desk includes adjustable mood lighting, a wireless charging station, cable management solutions, an under-desk computer mount, and, perhaps most importantly, a built-in coaster. I mean, you have to set your drink somewhere, and better on a coaster than in your lap – that’s my motto.

Now that’s a nice desk. Way nicer than my standing desk, which, yes, is a closet door lying across two piles of boxes. I originally built it to see if I’d like a standing desk enough to justify purchasing one, but I loved the price of this one so much that I never got around to buying another one. Sure it slants to one side, and the doorknob always gets in the way when I’m typing, but it was free. Besides, the guest bedroom doesn’t really need a closet door anyways.

[via HackADay]

DIY LED Light Etch-a-Sketch

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LED etch a sketch 650x541 DIY LED Light Etch a Sketch
Epic project is epic. Imagine a fully functioning Etch-a-Sketch that uses LED lights as the drawing pixels. That’s what Christopher Monaco did and then he built it. The two dials work just like a regular Etch-a-Sketch and shaking it “erases” the drawing too. As you turn the knobs, it draws a single line drawing using the matrix of LED lights. Sure it’s not as detailed as a real Etch but come on now. Check out the video:

While this is a DIY project, this is clearly for the more advanced as it involves both programming and circuit board/electronics work (using AVR and programming in C). There’s 256 LEDs in the 16×16 matrix that each need to be addressed. If you’re not phased by a photo that looks like this and a line “just connect the wires”
led etch a sketch inside 650x487 DIY LED Light Etch a Sketch
then check out the Instructable linked above, as the full build detailed instructions are included. Well done sir, great project.

DIY LED Light Etch-a-Sketch


Water-Resistant Circuit Boards Might Save Phones that Fall Into Toilets

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If you can believe it, people drop their phones in toilet bowls fairly regularly. It happens so often that related goods like drying packs and gadget rescue kits have made an appearance in a lot of online retailers.

However, here’s one innovation that will raise the bar when it comes to ensuring the safety and durability of these gadgets: water-resistance coatings for mobile phone circuit boards.

Waterproof Mobile Phone Circuit Boards
The coating is currently being developed by Daikin Industries, which describes it as a thin film that’s resistant to water and moisture and is environmentally friendly.

The coating dries in one minute at room temperature and takes effect right away, which is pretty impressive.

Daikin says: “We’re suggesting this coating as a way to reduce the risk of phones malfunctioning if they happen to get dropped in water. This product is made by dissolving a fluoropolymer in a fluorinated solvent. The fluoropolymer is nonflammable and has low toxicity. By using this solvent, we’ve achieved a coating that’s environmentally friendly.”

[via DigInfo]