A recent issue of Electronic Products and Technology (EP&T–31:8 pg3) editorial had an announcement from the Xerox Research Center of Canada in Mississauga ON regarding the development of a “new ‘Silver’ ink that will pave the way for commercialization and low-cost manufacturing”.
Apparently there has been a bit of a kerfuffle globally to find technologies which will enable low cost means of manufacturing plastic circuits. This breakthrough–if it is what is claimed here–may be a new way to develop smaller scale electronics on different material and fabrics.
Hence, smaller and much more flexible decoders maybe?
I know one thing–someone I discussed this with could see it being tried out on brass rail for the top----[:-,]
I remember when my mother was in the second hire for a plant that made transistors, little, tiny cylinders of plastic filled with epoxy with a small wire coming out of each end. They replaced large tubes in electrical products (radios and TV’s). Now they have been replaced by microchips that store enormus amounts of information. Nothing suprises me. Here’s hoping it gets into mrring as soon as it is developed.
The big question is what is the wear factor. As a circuit it passes electricity, but as a top on brass rail it also has wheels running on it. Is the ink thick enough to withstand the trains?
An interesting question. The properties described in the press release I ended up with did mention bending and flexing being repeated on tests and not seeing any detectable wear/voltage dropping on the fabric it was on. How this all translates into wheel to surface is another thing.I’m thinking that IF it comes out as an ink format for inkjet printing that one COULD conceivably do a somewhat thickened layer on the brass rail. I’m waiting for some more information on this later this month----
As for smaller, or micro formated decoders—now there may be something in that area—I have also heard of an interesting set of tests being done using some of this on ribbon speakers for small area surfaces—think of that one for a bit
I have a friend that does research using biological material for signal transmission purposes. Takes the place of wires. I wonder how long it will be before we are putting little biological "brains " in our loco’s.