German semiconductor maker Infineon Technologies AG announced that it’s producing a printed circuit board (PCB) that dissolves in water.

  • GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz
    link
    fedilink
    arrow-up
    2
    ·
    1 year ago

    Yeah, this seems like a partial solution which is not very broadly viable on its own, but can still have niche applications.

    Also, pardon me for bringing up the topic of violence, but I was thinking about what electronics might have particularly short lifespans and I thought of the circuitry of kamikaze drones and missiles used in military conflicts. It’d be a curious but potentially relevant way for defense industries to be more environmentally friendly in at least some way (and it’s not like weapons production is going to stop anytime soon, regardless of moral questions).

    You’re definitely right to point out that the other components are much more concerning from a pollution standpoint. Still, though, I think this improvement is certainly better than nothing. And it might be part of a more broadly applicable change in the future.