Tiny credit card computer includes eInk screen and is just 1mm thick

Recently, GitHub user krauseler unveiled a functional computer prototype named Muxcard, which is as small as a credit card and just 1mm thick. The device features an ESP32-C3 microcontroller, a 1.54-i... Read original →

Muxcard isn’t just a hobbyist novelty—it’s a symptom of converging trends: RISC-V proliferation, advanced packaging, and ultra-low-power displays. Its ESP32-C3 core and flexible eInk will pressure upstream IC and thin-film battery suppliers to miniaturize further, while forcing PCB/SMT processes below 0.5mm trace widths. Compliance-wise, embedding financial-grade NFC triggers GDPR and PCI-DSS scrutiny, inflating certification costs and pushing supply chains toward regionalization. In response, NXP and STMicroelectronics will likely fast-track secure-element-integrated ultra-thin SoCs to defend their IoT edge stronghold. Within 18 months, this form factor could seed 'ambient computing' applications—embedded in IDs, badges, or medicine labels—but mass adoption hinges on cracking the 30mAh energy-density ceiling and thermal limits imposed by ISO 7810’s rigid thickness constraints.