World’s first silicon-free flexible microprocessor created
By ForGeeks engineers at Pragmatic Semiconductor have developed the world’s first 32-bit flexible microprocessor that continues to work even when wrapped around a pen. Unlike conventional silicon chips, this processor is built using different materials, allowing it to retain its functionality under the most unusual conditions. The creation of such a device was a significant breakthrough in the field of flexible electronics, although its power remains at a fairly low level.
The processor’s power remains at a fairly low level.
An unconventional approach to microprocessors: from flexible displays to flexible chips
Flexible displays have long been part of our lives, but the possibility of developing bendable microprocessors still seemed a distant prospect. Pragmatic Semiconductor has managed to change this reality by creating a unique Flex-RX flexible processor, which is based on RISC-V architecture. The processor remains functional even when bent around cylindrical objects, as demonstrated in the video.
The Flex-RX builds on the company’s previous advances in flexible electronics, including the FlexPCB flexible printed circuit board and FlexIC integrated circuits built using IZGO-based thin-film transistor technology. This has resulted in a thickness of less than 80 micrometers, including the PCB, making it extremely flexible and suitable for use in the most unconventional scenarios.
Flex-RX features and capabilities
The Flex-RX microprocessor consumes less than 6 milliwatts of power and has built-in capabilities for the simplest machine learning tasks. It contains 12,600 logic gates to perform basic computational operations. Its clock frequency ranges from 52 to 60 kilohertz, making it very modest in processing power but interesting enough for experimental applications in wearable electronics and devices with flexible architectures.
Despite its low performance, the new processor opens the door to creating new types of wearable gadgets and smart devices that can bend and adapt to any shape. As a result, Pragmatic Semiconductor has shown that the future of microelectronics can go far beyond the usual rigid designs, offering new possibilities for flexible and adaptive technologies.
