Test & Measurement

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World's Smallest Computer Could Someday Go Inside Biological Cells

University of Michigan engineers Dennis Sylvester and David Blaauw have developed millimeter-sized computing units capable of harvesting solar power to utilize wireless communication, pressure and temperature sensors, as well as image and video processing. Each unit is assembled in layers and is capable of being customized to a particular function. While testing has been developed to place these units on top of tumors inside cancer patients to determine the results of chemotherapy, the range of applications seem unlimited. Future development of the technology is going to break down the size constriction even smaller. At a third of a millimeter, the researchers hope that these micro computers would be able to be placed inside biological cells to monitor and broadcast cellular activity.