Tech Explained: Here’s a simplified explanation of the latest technology update around Tech Explained: powerful boost for future wearables in Simple Termsand what it means for users..
Flexible AI chip FLEXI is being hailed as a significant step forward for smart wearables that need to be lightweight, reliable, and unobtrusive. Developed by researchers at Tsinghua University and Peking University in China, the new chip family is ultra‑thin, bendable and built to run artificial intelligence tasks directly on the device.
Flexible AI chip FLEXI tackles old hardware limits
For years, wearable gadgets have relied on rigid, power‑hungry processors that struggled to support advanced health monitoring without draining batteries or adding bulk. The flexible AI chip FLEXI aims to change that by using a design described in Nature, in which memory components perform calculations on stored data.
Instead of sending sensor readings back and forth between separate memory and compute blocks, the flexible AI chip FLEXI processes information locally, reducing data movement, saving power, and reducing delay. The chips are sufficiently thin to be bent and folded thousands of times, making them suitable for patches, bands, or clothing that must flex with the wearer.
FLEXI delivers strong test results
In real‑world trials, scientists attached flexible AI chip FLEXI prototypes to volunteers and used them to analyse signals from body‑worn sensors. The system detected irregular heartbeats with 99.2 percent accuracy and recognised everyday activities such as walking and cycling with 97.4 percent accuracy, figures that put it in line with, or ahead of, many current rigid devices.
Crucially, the flexible AI chip FLEXI used less than 1 percent of the energy consumed by a standard comparison chip during these tests. Researchers report that, in mass production, each FLEXI device could cost under one US dollar while still offering high yield, mechanical strength, and long‑term stability under repeated flexing.
FLEXI and the future of wearables
Taken together, the design and test results suggest that the flexible AI chip FLEXI could enable more comfortable medical patches and smart clothing that continuously monitor health without frequent charging. If manufacturers adopt the technology at scale, wearables may gradually shift from rigid wrist‑based gadgets to softer, almost invisible devices woven into daily life.