Dissolvable Electronics using Silk

 

Want to build some electronic devices that will literately self destruct? Many people say that is what electronics do already compared to electronics built 15 years ago. It wasn’t that long ago that devices were built like tanks and designed to last as long as possible. These days I think most devices are designed to just outlast the warranty period. 

Scientists are working on a method of building electronics that can be implanted in the human body and simply dissolve when no longer needed. This technology will be used to replace the short term medical devices that need to be surgically removed when no longer needed. The electronics will be made from silicon, magnesium, and silk. They will be able to set the amount of time the device will remain functioning before they start to dissolve.  Will green electronics manufacturers adopt this type of construction to build landfill friendly devices?

You can see some of the silk research that Fiorenzo Omenetto has been working on in the video below.

Via: Inventor Spot