Boffins have unveiled the world's smallest computer which measures an amazingly small one square millimetre.

Despite it's diminutive size, the team from the University of Michigan say the device still packs an impressive amount of power.

It contains an ultra low-power microprocessor, a pressure sensor, memory, a thin-film battery, a solar cell and a wireless radio with an antenna that can transmit data to an external reader.

Makers say the tech could one day be used to track pollution, monitor structural integrity, perform surveillance, or make any object trackable… as long as they don't lose it.
"This is the first true millimeter-scale complete computing system," said Professor Dennis Sylvester.

"Our work is unique in the sense that we're thinking about complete systems in which all the components are low-power and fit on the chip.

"We can collect data, store it and transmit it. The applications for systems of this size are endless."

Currently targeted toward medical applications the system is focused on a pressure monitor designed to be implanted in the eye to conveniently and continuously track the progress of glaucoma, a potentially blinding disease.

http://newslite.tv/2011/02/25/worlds-smallest-computer-measu.html