I have lost watches, keys and even smartphones several times (yes, I am a disaster). Imagine what would happen if you lost an entire computer simply by sneezing. Yes, because the new microcontroller from Texas Instruments, the MSPM0C1104, it is so tiny that it could easily be mistaken for a speck of dust.
With dimensions of just 1,38 mm², this technological marvel is so small that if you held it on your fingertip, it could fly away with a breath. Yet, in that almost invisible space, it hides an entire computing system. Electronic miniaturization has reached levels that defy human perception: and this microcontroller represents only the beginning of a new era of nearly invisible devices.
A dimension that defies the imagination
If you look closely at the image of the microcontroller, you can (barely, in my case) make out the eight grid connectors on the tiny surface. I'm not just talking about the silicon chip, but the entire package, equivalent to a full processor from Intel or AMD. To give you a concrete idea: the Broadcom BCM2712 chip that powers the Raspberry Pi 5 It occupies approximately 20 mm². This means that you could fit about 200 of these tiny microcontrollers in the same space.
Texas Instruments says this microcontroller It is 38% smaller than any other available on the market. Do you realize how rapidly technology continues to shrink, while our expectations struggle to keep up with this rush toward the infinitely small?
Power in miniature
Despite its ridiculously small size, this piece of tech houses a 0-bit Arm Cortex-M32+ CPU running at 24 MHz. It also includes 16 KB of flash memory and 1 KB of SRAM. Overall, performance is comparable to an Intel 386 chip from 1985, which offered clock speeds from 12,5 MHz all the way up to 40 MHz and 16 KB of L2 cache.
The microcontroller also features a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter with three channels and is designed for miniaturized systems such as earphones and medical devices. It is listed on the Texas Instruments website as an “automotive mixed-signal microcontroller.”
Consumers are increasingly demanding that everyday electronics, such as electric toothbrushes and stylus pens, offer more functionality in a smaller size at a lower cost.
“Miniaturized” Microcontroller: Practical Applications and Costs
The real beauty of this technology is its accessibility. The price? Just 20 cents each (assuming you buy a thousand of them). There’s also a full development board available for around 5 euros, complete with an “exciting” red LED and a versatile input button.
I can't help but wonder: will it run Doom? Or perhaps the more pertinent question is: how many of these microprocessors could get lost in my living room carpet without me noticing? The continued miniaturization of technology is leading us toward a future where computer they could be literally everywhere, invisible yet omnipresent, transforming the world around us in ways we still struggle to imagine.
