Processor In A Form Of Thin Elastic Thread Created In China
Credit: SCMP
In China, they’ve created the basis for the mass production of truly flexible electronics. This is still laboratory work, but it’s impressive: the developers have created a fully functional microchip within a thin, elastic thread, which can be woven into a fabric capable of computing, running neural networks, and even implementing a display.
An article about the development was published in the journal Nature on January 21, 2026. It is not yet publicly available. In the photo, the thread’s thickness is approximately 0.5 mm or slightly more. Nevertheless, this “chip” contains 100,000 transistors per square centimeter, which could be enough to solve quite serious computing problems. Especially if such threads were woven into a single fabric.
A fiber integrated circuit (FIC) has demonstrated “power, sensing, and display functions.” The chip is fabricated on a flat flexible substrate and then twisted into a thread, like a papyrus scroll. After fabrication, the flexible fiber-like chip can stretch by 30% and withstand up to 10,000 tensile cycles. It also remains functional when bent 180 degrees with a curvature radius of 1 cm.
The technology could transform the world of wearable electronics, making them durable and resistant to harsh operating conditions, regardless of moisture, frost, or heat.
