Tiny credit card computer includes eInk screen and is just 1mm thick – Tom’s Hardware

Technical plans for a computer measuring 1mm in thickness with an integrated eInk screen were released on GitHub on May 10, 2026. The device is designed to match the form factor of a standard credit card, prioritizing extreme portability and low power consumption.

According to reporting from Tom’s Hardware, the creator of the prototype has made the design files available to the public to facilitate experimentation and modification. However, the release is governed by a non-commercial use license, which prohibits the production or sale of the device for profit.

The 1mm thickness of the device brings it close to the dimensions of a standard ISO/IEC 7810 ID-1 credit card, which typically measures 0.76mm. This design choice suggests a focus on a device that can be carried in a wallet without significantly altering the profile of the card holder.

The use of an eInk screen is central to the device’s functionality. Unlike liquid crystal displays (LCD) or organic light-emitting diodes (OLED), eInk technology is bistable, meaning it only requires electrical power to change the state of the pixels rather than to maintain an image. This allows the device to display information indefinitely without draining the battery.

By distributing the plans via GitHub, the maker has adopted an open-source hardware approach. This method allows a global community of developers to review the schematics, suggest optimizations, and test the hardware’s limits in various environments.

Intellectual Property and Licensing

The decision to restrict the prototype to non-commercial use creates a specific legal boundary for the project. While hobbyists and researchers can modify the hardware, any entity seeking to mass-produce the device for sale would require a separate commercial agreement with the original creator.

This licensing strategy allows the creator to benefit from community-driven research and development—where users identify bugs or suggest hardware improvements—while retaining the exclusive right to monetize the technology.

The project enters a niche market of ultra-portable computing. Previous attempts at credit-card-sized computers have typically been thicker due to the requirements of battery capacity and printed circuit board (PCB) layering. The 1mm thickness reported on May 10, 2026, indicates a significant reduction in component volume.

The feasibility of the device depends on the integration of thin-film batteries or high-density capacitors capable of fitting within the 1mm constraint. Because the eInk screen requires minimal power, the energy demands of the device are lower than those of traditional handheld electronics.

The availability of the plans on GitHub means that the technical specifications are now subject to public scrutiny, which often accelerates the development of similar, competing prototypes within the maker community.