96 The PCB Magazine • June 2016
Engineers Take First Step Toward Flexible,
Wearable, Tricorder-like Device
Engineers at the University of California San Diego
have developed the first flexible wearable device
capable of monitoring both biochemical and elec-
tric signals in the human body. The Chem-Phys
patch records EKG heart signals and tracks levels
of lactate, a biochemical that is a marker of physi-
cal effort, in real time.
IBM Makes Quantum Computing Available
on IBM Cloud to Accelerate Innovation
IBM scientists have built a quantum processor that
users can access through a first-of-a-kind quantum
computing platform delivered via the IBM Cloud
onto any desktop or mobile device. IBM believes
quantum computing is the future of computing
and has the potential to solve certain problems
that are impossible to solve on today's supercom-
puters.
Introducing the Disposable Laser
Since lasers were invented more than 50 years ago,
they have transformed a diverse swath of technol-
ogy—from CD players to surgical instruments.
Top Seven Vendors in the Global Semicon-
ductor Packaging Materials Market
Technavio has announced the top seven lead-
ing vendors in their recent global semiconductor
packaging materials market report. This research
report also lists 36 other prominent vendors that
are expected to impact the market during the
forecast period.
Printed and Flexible Electronics in
Automotive Applications 2016–2026
This report focuses on technologies and compo-
nents in automotive applications that benefit from
the advent of printed/flexible electronics and al-
ready represent a market of a few hundred million
dollars in 2016.
Latest Advancements in Sensor Technology
Examined at SEMI European MEMS Summit
After a successful inaugural event in Milan that at-
tracted 265 attendees, this year's SEMI European
MEMS Summit will convene in Stuttgart, one of
the world's major MEMS and Sensor hubs.
Self-healing, Flexible Electronic Material
Restores Functions after Many Breaks
Electronic materials have been a major stumbling
block for the advance of flexible electronics be-
cause existing materials do not function well after
breaking and healing.
NREL Theory Establishes a Path to
High-Performance 2D Semiconductor
Devices
Researchers at the Energy Department's National
Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) have uncov-
ered a way to overcome a principal obstacle in us-
ing 2D semiconductors in electronic and optoelec-
tronic devices.
In the War against Dust, a New Tool
Inspired by Geckos
Micrometric and sub-micrometric contaminant
particles—what most of us call "dust"—can cause
big problems for art conservators, the electronics
industry, aerospace engineers, and others. These
nanoparticles can prevent a cellphone from work-
ing or rob the vitality of a painting's colors.
MechSE Researchers Create One-step
Graphene Patterning Method
Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urba-
na-Champaign have developed a one-step, facile
method to pattern graphene by using stencil mask
and oxygen plasma reactive-ion etching, and sub-
sequent polymer-free direct transfer to flexible
substrates.
Electronics Industry News
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