Scientists at the University of Michigan have created a computer measuring 0.3 millimeters - smaller than a grain of rice. This is a new record for the smallest computer in the world, according to the university's website.
A key component of the Michigan Micro Mote is a temperature sensor that operates with an accuracy of 0.1 degrees Celsius. With the help of this sensor, scientists are going to study cancerous tumors - recent studies have shown that the temperature rises in the affected tissues. Thus, by monitoring temperature differences in tissues, it is possible to track the dynamics of cancer development and the effectiveness of therapy. According to scientists, the computer is not only tiny, but also biocompatible, so it can be implanted into tissue. First of all, the authors want to test it on mice.
Michigan Micro Mote is equipped with a 32-bit processor, and data exchange with the base station takes place in the form of light pulses. For this, an optical circuit consisting of a photovoltaic cell and an LED is used. The temperature sensor transmits data to the processor in the form of pulses with the appropriate time interval, which the processor compares with the pulses with a reference interval sent by the base station through the light signals, and then converts them into temperature. The base station also provides light for power.
Unlike the previous version of the Michigan Micro Mote with dimensions of 2 × 2x4 mm, the new model has volatile memory and does not retain data when the external power is off. Because of this, the developers doubt whether this device can be called a computer.
Previously, the smallest was considered a computer from IBM with a size of 1x1 millimeter. It has low power - on par with the 1990 x86 processor. However, according to the developers, this is enough to use it as a cryptographic anchor - a unique identifier of a device or product in the blockchain system.
