The future is plastic

Integral Technologies Inc. has developed a highly conductive plastic, dubbed Electriplast.

The material would be used as the cover for a mobile phone and double as the phone's antenna. With so much surface serving to receive a radio signal, we could enjoy better connection, enhanced battery life and clearer reception.

Integral Technologies also have prototypes and mock-ups of products such as plastic seat-warmers embedded in automobiles, plastic pads for cardiac defibrillators, plastic circuit boards and plastic heat sinks that would double as antennas for chipsets equipped with miniature radios.

"We've talked to major airplanemakers about using plastic instead of copper or aluminum as wiring in planes," said Thomas Aisenbrey, chief technology officerof the company. "Plastic weighs one-eighth as much as copper."

Electriplast could also be used in toys so that cars, trucks and planes operated by remote control wouldn't need separate antennas.

Via textually < Chicago Tribune.
Related entry: Turning mobile phones into their own antenna.