When Fitbit was first developed neither of its creators had PCB design or manufacturing experience, and they immediately ran into major problems. They ultimately wanted a product that comes in a small package, which meant that proper PCB layout was critical for success. For his birthday, my nephew got a Fitbit. To my astonishment, instead of rolling his eyes and muttering a thank you to the floor, he held it above his head and started jumping

Medical wearables need to be sleek, unencumbered, and compact; able to collect meaningful medical data with few (or no) wires attached to the patient. This creates demand for flexible PCB layouts. While you’re trying hard to push the limits of space, to use smart materials, and to minimize its footprint, it can be damn annoying when you fall out of a board outline (particularly when dealing with an irregular board shape). Read on to find out how