World’s Smallest computer, smaller than rice grain

In the United States, researchers from the University of Michigan have developed the world’s smallest computer. This miniscule device measures only 0.3 millimeters to one side.

It is completely dwarfed by a single grain of rice. Traditional desktops retain all of their data and programming either with a power backup or without a power backup.

However, this tiny computer loses all prior data and programming as soon as it is switched off.

David Blaauw is a professor of electrical and computer engineering who led the development of this new microdevice.

He says that the researchers are not sure if these tiny computers should be called computers or not. If they do not have the minimum functionality that is required for a computer, then they cannot officially be called “computers”.

The tiny computing device is called the Michigan Micro Mote. It has processors and wireless transmitters and receivers in addition to the photovoltaics and the RAM.

The Michigan Micro Mote is too small to have any ordinary radio antennae.

Instead, it can receive and transmit data by using visible light. A base station provides the light for programming and power. The tiny device then receives the data and uses it.

The Michigan Micro Mote is designed as a precision temperature sensor. It converts temperatures into time intervals.

These intervals are defined with electronic pulses. This allows the Mote to report temperatures in miniscule regions with an error of about 0.1 degree Celsius.

The Michigan Micro Mote’s ability to detect temperature in such tiny regions can make it very helpful in oncology research. The Mote’s temperature sensor is small and biocompatible.

It can be implanted into a mouse’s tumor to study its growing cancer cells. This tiny device can investigate temperature variations in cancerous tissues versus normal tissues.

This will allow researchers to determine if temperature changes will determine success or failure in therapy for cancer.

Photo by Antonio Manaligod on Unsplash (Free for commercial use)

Image Reference: https://unsplash.com/photos/T_2UFB_xwzw