The Future of Electronics: A New Era of Flexibility
Have you ever noticed how all of our electronics are rigid? Even foldable phones have rigid electronics with a hinge, but that might not be the case much longer. Researchers at MIT have developed a new method for making truly flexible electronic components that could change everything. With this breakthrough, we can now imagine holding cell phones and smartphones that are integrated into our bodies in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Understanding the Peel and Stack Method
The researchers at MIT have coined the term "peel and stack" to describe their new technique. This method involves looking beneath the protective outer shells of our electronics to the chips inside. The reason computer chips are inflexible today is because they're traditionally made on a rigid underlying layer known as a substrate. The functional part of the computer chip, which does the actual computing, is just a few hundred nanometers at the surface. There hasn't been a good way to separate the rigid substrate layer from the thin active layer on top until now.
A Simple Analogy
To understand this new technique, we can use a simple analogy. Imagine frying an egg on a frying pan. When you try to sell the egg and the frying pan together with you, the cost becomes too high. That's essentially what has been happening in the electronics industry, where the rigid substrate layer and the thin active layer are sold as a package. The researchers at MIT have created a new "oil" between the egg and the frying pan, which is graphene. One layer of graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms bonded together, making it one of the world's strongest materials.
The Power of Graphene
Graphene has been widely touted as a wonder material for the past several years. Its unique properties make it perfect for the peel and stack method. When heated to a high temperature, the substrate is subjected to intense energy that makes graphene "come alive." This process is known as the peel and stack technique, where the atoms are flown in a gaseous state or using a plasma. The result is a thin, flexible layer of any functional material that can be stacked on top of each other.
The Potential Applications
The researchers at MIT say that this new technique allows them to make thin, flexible layers of any functional material. These flexible layers can be combined to create more complex, multifunctional devices. In the short term, an easy application would be integrating these prices into contact lenses or even skin patches. With these thin, flexible electronics, we can now imagine having our smartphones integrated into our bodies in ways that were previously unimaginable.
Beyond Wearables
This breakthrough could potentially lead to a whole new category of electronic devices that go beyond wearables. We're not just talking about smartwatches or fitness trackers; we're talking about devices that are seamlessly integrated into our bodies, without the need for bulky cases or straps. The researchers at MIT believe that this technology will allow us to create devices that flow through our bodies, potentially even targeting certain viruses or cancer cells.
The Future of Flexible Electronics
As we move forward, it's exciting to think about what kind of flexible electronics we'll see in the future. Will we have smart contact lenses that monitor our health and surroundings? Will we wear devices on our skin that can control our activity and mood? The possibilities are endless, and it's all thanks to the breakthroughs happening at MIT.
How Can You Get Involved?
The researchers at MIT want to hear from you! They're curious about what kind of flexible electronics people would like to see in the future. What kinds of devices do you think would be useful or exciting? Share your thoughts, dreams, and sci-fi nightmares with them on their website. Who knows; maybe one day we'll be living in a world where our smartphones are an extension of ourselves, integrated seamlessly into our bodies.
How Scientists Are Making Graphene from Trash
The researchers at MIT are also working on making graphene from trash. They're using waste materials to create the atoms that make up this incredible material. This not only reduces waste but also makes graphene more accessible and affordable for everyone. As we move forward, it's exciting to think about how this technology will be used to create a more sustainable future.
The Future of Electronics is Now
In conclusion, the development of flexible electronic components by the researchers at MIT marks a significant turning point in the history of electronics. We can now imagine holding cell phones and smartphones that are integrated into our bodies in ways that were previously unimaginable. With this breakthrough, we're not just talking about new gadgets or devices; we're talking about a whole new way of living and interacting with technology. The future of electronics is now, and it's more exciting than ever.
"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enhave you ever noticed how all of our electronics are rigid even foldable phones are just rigid electronics with a hinge well that might not be the case much longer researchers at MIT have developed a new method for making truly flexible electronic components that could change everything seriously everything now you have holding cell phones smart phones so take this to the next level where it'll become integrated anywhere your eye and your clothes and your shoes in your body to understand this new technique which researchers are calling the peel and stack method we've got to look beneath the protective outer shells of our electronics to the chips inside the reason computer chips are inflexible today is that they're traditionally made on a rigid underlying layer known as a substrate the functional part of the computer chip the part that does the actual computing that makes our electronics work is just a few hundred nanometers at the surface there just hasn't been a good way to separate the rigid substrate layer from the thin active layer on top until now a simple analogy would be you fry an egg on a frying pan but then you're trying to sell the egg and frying pans together with you so the cost becomes it that's it right here we basically created the oil between the egg and the frying pan which is graphene for us if graphene sounds familiar to you it's probably because it's been widely touted as a wonder material for the past several years one layer of graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms bonded together and also happens to be one of the world's strongest materials which makes it perfect for the peeling stack never so the substrate is heated to a high temperature and then the atoms are flown either in a gaseous state or sometimes we use a plasma so it's a very intense and high-energy process and since crapping so strong is such a robust material it can kind of serve allies that kind of Martian fire which makes this process syrup Universal researchers say this new technique allows them to make thin flexible layers of any functional material and that these flexible layers can be stacked on top of each other and combined to create more complex multifunctional devices in the short-term an easy application would be integrating these prices into for example your contact lenses but these also can be integrated into your skin because they're so thin so now instead of having to carry your smartphone you can have your smartphone in your skin this feels like the beginning of what could potentially be a whole new category of electronic devices that go beyond wearables and it sounds like this group of researchers at MIT are just getting started in the long term I think it'll be flowing in your body because it'll be so thin and non-invasive you can actually potentially create devices where it flows through your body it may be attacks certain viruses cancer cells right now we are busy actually applying this technology to create actual devices one of my colleagues is a skin patch where it monitors your health was my colleagues is also working on a flank stimulation where he's probing back titli of your brain while simultaneously kind of controlling activity and this is only possible because you can now kind of stack them together and integrate these various devices into one what kind of flexible electronics would you like to see in the future let us know your thoughts dreams in sci-fi nightmares down below to see how scientists are making graphene from trash click here for more what the futures click here thanks so much for watching what the fam see you next timehave you ever noticed how all of our electronics are rigid even foldable phones are just rigid electronics with a hinge well that might not be the case much longer researchers at MIT have developed a new method for making truly flexible electronic components that could change everything seriously everything now you have holding cell phones smart phones so take this to the next level where it'll become integrated anywhere your eye and your clothes and your shoes in your body to understand this new technique which researchers are calling the peel and stack method we've got to look beneath the protective outer shells of our electronics to the chips inside the reason computer chips are inflexible today is that they're traditionally made on a rigid underlying layer known as a substrate the functional part of the computer chip the part that does the actual computing that makes our electronics work is just a few hundred nanometers at the surface there just hasn't been a good way to separate the rigid substrate layer from the thin active layer on top until now a simple analogy would be you fry an egg on a frying pan but then you're trying to sell the egg and frying pans together with you so the cost becomes it that's it right here we basically created the oil between the egg and the frying pan which is graphene for us if graphene sounds familiar to you it's probably because it's been widely touted as a wonder material for the past several years one layer of graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms bonded together and also happens to be one of the world's strongest materials which makes it perfect for the peeling stack never so the substrate is heated to a high temperature and then the atoms are flown either in a gaseous state or sometimes we use a plasma so it's a very intense and high-energy process and since crapping so strong is such a robust material it can kind of serve allies that kind of Martian fire which makes this process syrup Universal researchers say this new technique allows them to make thin flexible layers of any functional material and that these flexible layers can be stacked on top of each other and combined to create more complex multifunctional devices in the short-term an easy application would be integrating these prices into for example your contact lenses but these also can be integrated into your skin because they're so thin so now instead of having to carry your smartphone you can have your smartphone in your skin this feels like the beginning of what could potentially be a whole new category of electronic devices that go beyond wearables and it sounds like this group of researchers at MIT are just getting started in the long term I think it'll be flowing in your body because it'll be so thin and non-invasive you can actually potentially create devices where it flows through your body it may be attacks certain viruses cancer cells right now we are busy actually applying this technology to create actual devices one of my colleagues is a skin patch where it monitors your health was my colleagues is also working on a flank stimulation where he's probing back titli of your brain while simultaneously kind of controlling activity and this is only possible because you can now kind of stack them together and integrate these various devices into one what kind of flexible electronics would you like to see in the future let us know your thoughts dreams in sci-fi nightmares down below to see how scientists are making graphene from trash click here for more what the futures click here thanks so much for watching what the fam see you next time\n"
