Sophisticated computer technology can only fit inside of watches and bracelets because of the semiconductor industry. Before the introduction of transistors, telecommunications network engineers had to contend with massive rooms full of glowing glass bottles that offered the only form of reliable digital switching known at the time. Miniaturized transistor radio receivers were arguably the first wearables ever introduced, and even these wouldn’t have been possible without developments in the semiconductor space.
Putting together new wearable designs usually starts by defining the size of a specific device. Once technicians know how much space they’ve got to work with, they can design appropriate circuit boards and pass these designs on to semiconductor engineering firms. Modern fitness market wearables in particular are made from literally thousands of small transistors built into tight packages attached to these boards.
Assembling an Electronic Fitness Device
Companies that do embedded digital systems design rely on cutting-edge material shaping workflows to produce circuit boards that are every bit as durable as they are small. Wearable devices are going to be under far more mechanical stress than most other types of computing solutions since they get carried around all of the time. Smartwatches marketed toward fitness enthusiasts are going to be exposed to the elements as well as a great deal of body heat.
Solid-state device manufacturers rely on a variety of tricks to make boards that are suited to this kind of environment. Modern semiconductors can be grown out of a crystal-like matrix or made through a process similar to printing. In either case, the end product is often thinner than a traditional silicon wafer. Wearable computing solutions have to be light to avoid tiring out their users, which is a major benefit to this kind of manufacturing.
While most problems related to implementation have already been solved through these kinds of workflows, a new one is emerging as a result of the sheer number of customers who’d like to add a few wearables to their collection.
Dealing With an Increased Demand
Several national wearable computing brands have seen massive jumps in sales over the last few quarters. These have put additional pressure on fabrication workshops already dealing with severe supply chain shortages. Consumers haven’t stopped asking for more devices, however. Consumers love their smartwatches, rings, and even glasses. They’re also asking for existing product lines to do more, thus creating a need for even faster chips than are currently on the market.
The semiconductor industry as a whole has responded by developing solutions based on alternative materials. Though it’s become difficult to shove more transistors onto a single wafer cut, engineers have compromised by building boards double thick. Since the original devices are so slender to begin with, few wearable users are likely to notice any real difference no matter how the boards are stacked inside of them.
Considering that solid-state equipment manufacturers are hard at work developing new materials with which to make their products, even these hurdles may be crossed at some point soon.