A British company called Pragmatic Semiconductor is working on a new cheap and foldable 32-bit processor. The component is called Flex-RV and would cost less than $1 to manufacture and is so flexible that it can even be wrapped around itself and continue operating.
To ensure low production costs, the processor was made using the open source RISC-V architecture. For the flexible body, a material different from the traditional silicon was used – or the glass that companies currently develop. The Pragmatic component was made in IGZO.
The acronym indicates the material used in the processor body: indium gallium and zinc oxide. This material can be printed directly on plastic substrates at low temperatures, which also reduces manufacturing costs and makes the component flexible.
The video above shows the processor in the testing phase working while it is completely wrapped around a tube, which is about the diameter of a pen. According to Pragmatic, the Flex-RV can be bent to a curvature with a radius of 5mm.
As everything in this life has a counterpart, in the case of this component the sacrifice happens in performance.
“Rollable” processor works at 60kHz
The Flex-RV prototype was manufactured with just 12,600 logic gates, and is capable of delivering a maximum frequency of 60kHz. For people of my time, who remember the time before GHz became a standard, this is the equivalent of 0.06MHz. For younger readers, the number represents 0.00006GHz.
It is clear then that the foldable processor was not designed to power a PC. However, being so cheap and operating at just 6mW, it could become a great option for medical equipment and wearable devices. Pragmatic even mentions interfaces between computer and brain with the component.
More about science:
In any case, we are still in the prototype phase, with a long way to go before we see any practical and/or commercial use for the Flex-RV.
Source: TechSpot
Join the Adrenaline offer group
Check out the main offers on hardware, components and other electronics that we found online. Video card, motherboard, RAM memory and everything you need to build your PC. By joining our group, you receive daily promotions and have early access to discount coupons.
Join the group and take advantage of promotions
Source: https://www.adrenaline.com.br/hardware/empresa-cria-processador-dobravel-que-continua-operando-ate-enrolado/
