Printed Circuit Board

A printed circuit board (PCB) is a flat board, typically made of fibreglass-reinforced epoxy laminate with copper traces, that mechanically supports and electrically connects electronic components. PCBs are the standard substrate of nearly all modern electronics, from consumer devices to medical and assistive hardware. In HCI and maker contexts, PCBs are increasingly treated as design surfaces in their own right — silkscreen artwork, surface-mount LEDs, capacitive-touch traces, and foldable or flexible PCBs blur the line between circuit and interface. Accessibility-relevant PCB work includes wearable interfaces (e.g., LilyPad), DIY assistive technology, low-cost switch interfaces, and modular tangible kits where exposed boards become the user-facing component.