Today a majority of the globe is within reach of a mobile device. Although the make and design of these devices may be different they’re all unified by a few key components, chief among them is the antenna. Currently, antennas are usually integrated into one of a device’s chips or as a stand-alone component of the phone itself. New Mexico’s Optomec wants to change that paradigm and have announced that their new high volume Aerosol Jet technology will allow the printing of “conformal antennas using conductive nanoparticle silver inks.” Translation: Phone manufacturers can print directly onto the body of their mobile devices.
With this new approach mobile device manufacturers will be able to further satisfy the need to provide more functionality within increasingly smaller devices. But that’s not really the end of the story with this technology. Optomec sees their technology as a step towards a time when complete electronic components can be printed directly onto a products surface.
What I find fascinating about this technology is that if true 3D printed electronics could be produced, the traditional notion of mobile devices could be completely dismantled.
If circuits could be printed onto your, say, water bottle, couldn’t it be used as a mobile device? What if your water bottle could display a real-time map of where you’re jogging and maybe even show you your text messages mid-sprint. 3D printed electronics could be lead to the development of contextually appropriate mobile devices that deliver information tailored to a situation.
But I digress.
For now, Optomec’s technology is an interesting step towards more customizable and easily produced electronics. Where it might extend is anyone’s guess.
Watch a Video of an Antenna Being Printed: