Imagine doodling about in your Moleskin, throwing some batteries and LEDs onto the page and having your sketches illuminated like a Christmas light arrangement. Swapping the metallic ink of gel pens for real silver can make that a reality.
University of Illinois engineers have pioneered circuit pens, rendering wires unnecessary. The silver drawn by the pens naturally conducts electricity, so the only materials needed for makeshift circuits are a power source (batteries) and outputs (LEDs). If the idea of paper-and-ink as a circuit sounds rather undependable, the UI researchers bent the drawn-on paper 6,000 times before the ink began to crack. Thus, the pens are not only easier and cheaper to use, they seem to be a sturdier option for circuit-building, too.
Ravers rejoice—the possibilities are endless.