The new, revolutionary bendable processors cost less than $1 to produce

Processors are constantly improving as manufacturers find new ways to improve them. One of the latest improvements comes in the form of a 32-bit bendable microprocessor that can run machine learning models, even under extreme loads. The real advantage of these flexible processors, however, is that they cost less than a dollar to produce.

The new microprocessor is based on the open RISC-V standard, but due to its high design flexibility it is known as Flex-RV. It’s also made from a completely different type of material called indium gallium zinc oxide (IGZO), which is used instead of the more traditional silicon used in processors.

While a flexible microprocessor can run machine learning models, it won’t provide the most fantastic performance you’ll find with this type of processor. This is because it only has 12,600 logic gates and a maximum clock speed of 60 kHz (about 0.00006 GHz for those more familiar with PC processors).

Despite these somewhat average performance specifications, the chip can be successfully integrated into hardware as a low-power machine learning accelerator. However, the chip’s manufacturer, Pragmatic, never intended to use it to train AI models like GPT-4. Instead, the chip is designed to power single-use medical devices bordering on emerging medical gadgets, such as improved wearables, soft robotics, and even brain-computer interfaces.

This type of bendable microchip could actually prove very effective in powering small medical devices, such as 3D-printed medical devices that scientists are testing printing directly into the human body. With such low energy demand, it could also work perfectly with the world’s first biomedical processor, which was created using human brain tissue.

The bendable microprocessor also retained its accuracy even when bent to a 5mm radius curvature, making it ideal for use in small devices that may require steep bending to accommodate the processor. The scientists behind the design of the new processor have shared full details about it in a new paper published in the journal Nature last month.