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flexible electronics
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- 1Lasers reconfigure soft electronics and robots▼Destroy to transform: Lasers reconfigure soft electronics and robots
Researchers report a laser-based technique that deliberately destroys and restructures materials so soft electronics and soft robots can be reconfigured into new forms. The approach, described in a newly publicised study, could allow flexible devices and machines to change function after fabrication rather than being fixed at manufacture. Details of the research team and institutions are not yet widely circulated.
- 2Maker builds flexible neon-style t-shirt from LED filaments▼Show HN: Making a flexible "neon" t-shirt with LED filaments
Engineer Scott Bezek has built a t-shirt that mimics the look of flexible neon tubing using sewn-in LED filaments, documenting the full process on his blog. Readers on Hacker News are sharing the project widely, discussing the electronics, durability and construction techniques involved in putting wearable light-up circuitry into everyday clothing.
- 3Mix-and-match material lets scientists tune properties via metal recipe▼'Mix-and-match' material's properties can be tuned by changing its metallic 'recipe'
Researchers have developed a 'mix-and-match' class of materials whose properties can be adjusted by altering the mix of metals used in their composition. By changing the metallic 'recipe', scientists can tune characteristics such as conductivity, strength or reactivity, opening the door to custom-designed materials for electronics, catalysis and other industrial applications.
- 4Light-Activated Muscle Cells Power Paper-Thin Swimming Robot▼Light-Activated Muscle Cells Power a Paper-Thin Swimming Robot Through Watery Mazes
Researchers have built a paper-thin swimming robot propelled by light-activated muscle cells, capable of navigating through watery mazes. The soft robot relies on bioengineered tissue that contracts in response to light, steering it along complex underwater paths. The work highlights progress in combining living muscle tissue with flexible electronics for miniature soft robotics.
- 5DIY flexible neon t-shirt built with LED filaments▼Making a flexible "neon" t-shirt with LED filaments http://scottbezek.blogspot.com/2026/10/making-flexible-neon-t-shirt-
Engineer Scott Bezek has published a write-up on building a t-shirt that mimics glowing neon tubing using flexible LED filaments sewn into fabric. The project walks through the electronics and construction needed to make wearable light that bends with clothing. The build is drawing attention among DIY electronics and wearables enthusiasts for its blend of circuit design and garment making.
- 6Organic Chips Market Set to Grow Through 2035 on Flexible Electronics Demand▼Organic Chips Market Forecast to 2035: Flexible Electronics Demand Drives Expansion
Market researchers forecast steady expansion of the organic chips market through 2035, driven mainly by rising demand for flexible electronics. Organic semiconductors, lighter and bendable compared with silicon, are seen as key components for flexible displays, wearable devices and printed sensors. The outlook suggests manufacturers and investors are watching the shift from rigid chips toward bendable formats as flexible consumer products gain ground.
- 7Unichem buys US sensor firm Loomia for up to $6.3 million▼Unichem Acquires U.S.-Based Loomia for Up to $6.3 Million, Tied to Robot E-Skin Mass Production Orders
South Korean materials company Unichem has acquired Loomia, a US-based maker of flexible electronic skins, for up to $6.3 million. The deal is tied to mass production orders for robot e-skin, positioning Unichem to supply touch-sensitive materials used in humanoid and service robots. It signals growing industry demand for sensors that let robots interact safely with people and objects.
- 8UK engineers build tiny liquid-metal pump for soft robotics●UK engineers built a tiny liquid-metal pump to move robotic butterfly wings and power wearable devices; i
Engineers in the UK have developed a miniature liquid-metal pump capable of flapping robotic butterfly wings and potentially powering wearable devices. The pump is small enough to drive delicate movements in soft robots, where conventional rigid components fall short. Researchers say the technology could open the door to lightweight, flexible machines and new classes of wearable electronics.
- 9Yaskawa Motoman Launches MotoMini, Its Smallest Six-Axis Robot▼Yaskawa Motoman Introduces MotoMini: The Smallest and Lightest Weight Six-Axis Robot in the Industry
Yaskawa Motoman has introduced the MotoMini, described as the smallest and lightest six-axis industrial robot on the market. The compact robot is aimed at applications where space and payload constraints limit larger machines, and its launch was highlighted by the Association for Advancing Automation. Industry watchers see it as part of the broader push toward smaller, more flexible automation for electronics assembly and light manufacturing.
- 10Building a flexible 'neon' t-shirt from LED filaments●Making a flexible "neon" t-shirt with LED filaments
An engineer has documented building a wearable t-shirt that mimics the glow of a neon sign using flexible LED filament, typically used in custom light strips. The write-up covers the practical challenges of wiring, bending and powering the filaments in fabric so the shirt drapes like normal clothing while lighting up like glass neon. Hacker News readers are discussing the build's electronics and craft details.