Single-board computers (or SBCs) like the Raspberry Pi and Arduino just keep getting smaller. But sometimes that doesn't quite fit the bill. If you're looking for something with a little more flexibility, you might want to check out this awesome custom Arduino PCB put together by maker and developer Rajesh K T with Edison Science Corner known as the Flexduino.
Rajesh is no stranger to making his own PCBs, especially ones inspired by the Arduino. After working on making a few variants over the years, he decided to create an Arduino replica that had a bit more bend than your average circuit board. Manufacturers like PCB Way have options to have custom boards made with flexible layers which is what this one is constructed with.
Although a few shortcuts had to be taken to complete the design, the end result still actually works. We get a look at it in action thanks to the video Rajesh shared, detailing the creation process. In it, we see the finished Flexduino complete with surface-mounted components, GPIO and LEDs that illuminate. One important thing that's missing, however, is the ground plane, which wouldn't be conducive for a flexible PCB like this.
The original Arduino is traditionally fabricated with a dark blue PCB but this flexible board has a yellowish amber color. It's very thin, measuring in at just 1mm thick which makes it even easier to flex. As a finishing touch, Rajesh made a little logo titled "Flexduino" and had it screen printed on the board.
As of writing, the project has yet to be made open source, so we haven't had the chance to explore the source files for ourselves. However, you can get an in-depth look at the design process and see some detailed screenshots of the gerber file data in the YouTube video shared to his Edison Science Corner channel.
If you want to get a closer look at the Flexduino and see it in action for yourself, check out the original video uploaded by Rajesh. Be sure to follow him for future updates, as well as other cool microelectronics creations like this one.
Stay On the Cutting Edge: Get the Tom's Hardware Newsletter
Get Tom's Hardware's best news and in-depth reviews, straight to your inbox.
Ash Hill is a contributing writer for Tom's Hardware with a wealth of experience in the hobby electronics, 3D printing and PCs. She manages the Pi projects of the month and much of our daily Raspberry Pi reporting while also finding the best coupons and deals on all tech.
Arduino definitely is not a Single Board Computer.
It's not even really a microcontroller. It's more like an SDK and interface standard for a handful of microcontrollers.
