Development

Although robotics is undoubtedly helping advance society and unlock new possibilities with technology, there is a debate taking place about whether or not this is a good thing. The question arises when manufacturing printed circuit boards, as more and more companies replace human operators with robots and machines.

Every year, new smartphones and portable devices hit the market promising to take customers to the next level in terms of functionality and features. This is most notable for consumers when they hold and use their new devices, but it is the printed circuit board and hardware inside the product that work together to make this happen.

They say that necessity is the mother of invention. However, some of the greatest steps forward in society have been taken when things are discovered accidentally.

The big news in the tech world this week is the announcement of the latest iPhones by Apple and the all-new Apple Watch that is set to debut next year. While we have come to expect the latest and greatest features to be available to us at all times, we often overlook the technology that is used to get us there.

Engineers from Hong Kong Polytechnic University are currently working on a fabric knitted with wiring that can support printed circuit boards. If the technology is successful, it can lead to clothing that would include a number of devices used for biometric monitoring and other applications.

In addition to consumer electronics and industrial applications that support growth in our economy, printed circuit boards help scientists and doctors understand more about our health and how we live as human beings. A rising trend for using technology to learn more about activity is taking place in collegiate athletics, most notably in outdoor sports like track and soccer.

Driving down the street, you may not give a second though to the traffic lights on nearly every corner. For the past hundred years or so traffic lights have helped control the flow of cars moving through cities in an effort to reduce collisions, pollution and commute time.

According to an article published by Technology Review, electronic items in U.S. homes are estimated to have used 12 percent less energy in 2013 than they did in 2010. This is significant because during the same time frame nearly a billion more devices were sold on the market.

You may think that the surface finish of your printed circuit board only plays a small role in the cost of your project. However, the finish you choose for your PCB can have significant effects on the quality of your boards and whether or not you get the yields you need.