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Paper Mounted CPUs
Roland Piquepaille writes "Rafe Needleman discovered an interesting young Swedish company which is printing really cheap chips. "The company, Cypak, has technology to mount a very small microprocessor, which it created, on paper (or inside a credit card), as well as a technique to print sensors, switches, and very short-range antennae on the same paper, using special conductive inks." Here is one possible application designed for drug trials. "Drug trials need data about how and when subjects consume the drugs being tested. In this application, a pill pack registers when individual pills are popped out of their plastic bubbles; it then can beep and ask the user a question like, 'Are you feeling better today? Press Yes or No.' (The answer buttons are on the pack itself.) When the patient visits the doctor, the package is placed on a Cypak reader and the data is downloaded to the physician's computer." Visit this page for more information about Cypak or read the full Business 2.0 article."
Couldn't this also be used for some unsavory applications? Such as: making sure you read your printed EULA, tracking paper files through a building, etc.
The idea of disposable computers might seem appealing and convenient, but should the current thrust in technology really be towards disposables when there's already an environmental issue over dead tech today? Dead mobiles, obsolete computers, fridges - all these dead consumer devices cost a lot to dispose of. And you're proposing adding to the mix?
The trendy application for this paper technology you've described is wholly unnecessary. Why bother taking notes on e-paper and uploading to your server at home? Why not think about developing tablet technology which is always connected (GPRS, 3G, WiFi) with your desktop PC at the office. Then you write in realtime to your PC with your tablet. Realtime paperless office with no redundant technology building up.
Just an observation (okay, a gripe): Why is it that every time someone makes an announcement about printing electronics on paper, the press starts talking about "disposable PC's right around the corner?"
Silicon is pretty cheap, right? But that one fact hasn't made PC's disposable. And none of these companies (that I know of) are planning to print PC's anyway--they're just talking about cheap stuff like lightweight CPU's, sensors and tracking circuits. Why all the hype, you press guys? Didn't the dot-com debacle teach you anything?
It seems like a great idea, and some /. posters have already got some applications for it in mind, but what powers this, is the battery printed as well? If it gets really inexpensive, will there be a disposal problem.
Semper ubi sub ubi
Sure the original comment was probably meant as a jest but there are a few valid reasons for TP to have sensors in it.
Like detecting the presence of BLOOD in the stool. That's a major warning sign that something bad is happening in your colon.
Tisha Hayes
But the really cool thing about this is that if it's printed on normal paper, you can most likely recycle it. This will be a lot better than current PCs that are very difficult adn costly to recycle.
~Jon~
This space for rent, inquire within.
I dont see that as particularily ironic. They are using Linux to host their site because Linux is particularily better at doing this.
If I was using spreadsheets, processing data and making reports I would most likely be doing it in Windows.
A COM object is excellent. You can have a macro embedded in your spreadsheet / database / word document that grabs all the data out of this.
As far as i can see they are picking the best tools for the job.
those who control the past, control the future. those who control the present, control the past.