Twenty years ago, it was standard for any desktop to have a plastic and metal tower at its side, accompanied by a cathode-ray tube monitor. Today, computers can be as compact as a credit card (a good example is the Raspberry Pi), but at the University of Michigan they have created what may be the smallest system in the world. Its name is Michigan Micro Mote, and it is as small as a grain of rice, opening up a broad range of possibilities in the so-called Internet of Things.
Most companies have shared different futuristic visions, though they all coincide on several points. The idea of a coffee maker recognizing our preferences, a shower that automatically adjusts its temperature, washing machines calculating water usage based on the number of garments, lamps that change their light according to the time of day, and refrigerators that warn about missing foods are clear examples of the famous Internet of Things. One of the great challenges facing the Internet of Things is satisfactory miniaturization of current systems, including the integration of sensors and the ability to transmit data wirelessly at high speed.
https://www.youtube.com/embed/4KW3f3gEzDQThe Michigan Micro Mote
At the University of Michigan they have taken this miniaturization to the extreme with the new Michigan Micro Mote, the smallest functional computer in the world. Its volume is just one cubic millimeter, and it possesses all the elements that allow it to be called a complete computer: input (sensors), processing, storage, and output (radio transmission). Its power source is a photovoltaic cell of one square millimeter capable of generating 20 nanowatts, and its consumption is so low that it can operate with artificial ambient light, guaranteeing almost perpetual operation. Temperature, pressure, and image capture are some of the functions that the official article mentions for the Michigan Micro Mote, while its maximum transmission range averages about two meters. The next goal of the experts is to increase that range.
From home security and object location (keys, remote controls, etc.) to monitoring oil wells and complex concrete structures, the Michigan Micro Mote is making a lot of noise. Its application in medicine has also been considered, since once equipped with the appropriate components, it could collect different data from our body, like a wearable device under the skin.
