Conductive ink is a great tool for printing flexible electronic circuits on surfaces. But these inks can be costly, they do not work on some materials, and devices to apply them can plug up. Now ...

The Circuit Scribe pen lets you draw smooth lines, which don’t require any drying time, with the ink fuss-free—it’s not smelly, messy or gloopy, like alternatives.

This Apple patent shows a stylus that can draw on any surface and even in midair Using a combination of tracking sensors and a camera by Thuy Ong ... Feb 6, 2018, 7:17 AM PST Image: Apple/ WIPO ...

The soft circuit boards can easily be cut into desired shapes, the researchers said, and it is also possible to connect rigid components, such as lights, simply by inserting them into the sheets.

A new elastic silver ink could let users jot down electrical circuits and wiring on walls and paper with a regular ballpoint pen (ACS Nano, 2015, DOI: 10.1021/acsnano.5b05082).

The soft circuit boards can easily be cut into desired shapes, the researchers said, and it is also possible to connect rigid components, such as lights, simply by inserting them into the sheets.