A PCB, or a printed circuit board, is a very important component of many different electronic goods available to us on the market today. It does not matter what we are looking at, from our smartphones to our washing machines, we can find PCBs tucked away inside the circuitry. However, there are also some places where we would never expect to see one. Here are some of the top places where you would never expect to find a PCB.
Art
Anyone who thinks art is still a place of oil paints and watercolours is in for a surprise. The modern art world will take anything they think is interesting and that includes PCBs. There is an entire movement of people creating non-functional PCBs which look stunning so they can be used as art pieces. You could try this for yourself as all you would need is PCB designer software. There are many simple circuits you can practice if you want to start your own designs.
There are also people using recycled PCBs to create their sculptures. This is a fantastic way to give back to the environment in the form of art.
Children’s Toys
You can expect the big toys like keyboards and laptops to have a circuit board in them as they are nothing more than a much simpler version of an adult’s item. What you may not realise, however, is that many other toys have some sort of PCB as part of their design.
Does your child have a speaking teddy or doll? To be able to speak even the limited vocabulary that these toys have, they have to a PCB as part of their design. These are hidden away safely inside the body of the toy where your little ones can never expect to get them, so have no fear. Instead, just marvel about the impressive pieces of engineering in so simple an item.
Hearing Implants
Cochlear implants have changed the lives of many a person with impaired hearing and much of what they can do comes from the electronics within them. A cochlear implant may be small but it has a ton of electronic power hidden inside it. This includes the microphone which picks up sounds in the environment and the electronics inside which converts these signals into ones the brain can understand.
None of this would be possible if we were not able to design PCBs as sophisticated as we can. You can even find PCBs inside prosthetic limbs and other medical aids. These tiny little devices can bring so much help to the lives of those who use them.
PCBs Everywhere
It is clear to see that you can find PCBs everywhere. Just think about all the things in your home which have some sort of electronic capabilities. Every single one of them is going to have a PCB! Isn’t that amazing? These little powerhouses are everywhere and they have truly helped us to change our lives for the better.