Instead of working on expensive systems made out of highly robust parts developed in ultra-secure laboratories in top-secret locations, the AFRL has developed a functional flexible Arduino-compatible board, which they claim to be the first of its type.

Using a simplified flexible hybrid electronics manufacturing process, the Nextflex team reduced the number of manufacturing process steps by more than 60% and the weight of the Arduino board by 98%. The flexible Arduino has a thin, flexible plastic sheet as circuit board on which the microcontroller is mounted without its case. Digital printing processes were used to create the connections between the circuit elements.