Small computer with rice grain

American experts built the world's smallest automatic computer, about the size of a grain of rice.

The smallest automatic computer in the world

The Michigan Micro Mote (M3) computer has a cube of 32 mm size . This is a research product for more than a decade by a group of experts and students at the University of Michigan's Computer Science department, with the desire to create as small a computer as possible, meeting the needs of using connected devices Smart connection now.

The M3 computer is just as small as a grain of rice.(Photo: University of Michigan)

" To be a complete computer, the system must have data input, processing and storage capabilities, make decisions on what to do next and have output data , " said Professor David Blaauw.

The device can now take pictures, record temperature and pressure, then send information to the base station, using sensors for input and radio data for output data. The battery that absorbs 1 mm2 of sunlight is used to power the computer.

The M3 has a super-small Phoenix processor , only 915 x 915 µm2 in size, using low voltage with a power consumption of only 500 pW. M3 can collect and transmit data within a maximum of two meters. If you want to expand this limit, the team needs to create an antenna and a larger battery.

According to IB Times, scientists hope M3 will be applied in industrial and environmental monitoring, or put into human body for medical surveillance purposes.