Close-up of a computer as small as a grain of salt
Although only slightly larger than a grain of salt, IBM's world's smallest computer surprises users with its integration of blockchain technology and a "super-huge" data source.
"IBM Think 2018" - the company's annual flagship conference, where they announce their latest inventions. What's quite special is that at IBM Think this year, they boldly announced that they own the world's smallest computer.
|
| IBM's world's smallest computer. |
With a modest size of only a few millimeters, too small for a finger joint, this computer is equipped with the computing power of an x86 chip from 1990. The only inconvenience is that you will need a microscope to see what is displayed on it.
According to the company, the computer costs only about 10 cents to produce, but it contains “several hundred thousand transistors”. They allow users to “monitor, analyze, communicate and even process data”.
|
| IBM's unique computer cut into pieces |
In particular, this computer also operates based on Blockchain technology, which is a data source for other applications, helping to track the transportation of goods and detect theft and fraud. It can also perform basic AI tasks such as sorting the provided data.
According to IBM, this is just the beginning. “In the next five years, computers will be as small as ink dots or smaller than grains of salt, embedded in everyday objects and devices,” said IBM researcher Arvind Krishna.
|
| IBM's world's smallest computer. |
It is not clear when this computer will be announced to the market. Currently, IBM researchers are only in the testing phase of its first prototype.
Small and convenient, these computers may make you hesitant because if you want to use them, you have to constantly carry a microscope with you. And that is not very pleasant.