It may be just slightly larger than a couple of grains of sand, but the microcontroller unit developed by Dallas-based Texas Instruments could make a big splash in increasingly shrinking tech devices.
Texas Instruments (TI) says it has developed the world’s smallest microcontroller unit (MCU), which can be used in applications like medical wearables. According to TI, it will enable product designers to use board space more efficiently on these electronic devices without sacrificing performance.
At just 1.38 mm, TI’s new MCU is 38% smaller than existing devices on the market. For contrast, a grain of sand averages around 0.5 mm in diameter. In other words, TI’s microcontroller unit is small. Very small.
“In tiny systems such as earbuds and medical probes, board space is a scarce and valuable resource. With the addition of the world’s smallest MCU, our MSPM0 MCU portfolio provides unlimited possibilities to enable smarter, more connected experiences in our day-to-day lives,” Vinay Agarwal, VP and GM of MSP Microcontrollers at TI, said in a March 11 statement.
The company says the new technology will help develop more advanced “shrinking products,” like electric toothbrushes or stylus pens.
“Integrating accurate, high-speed analog components into the world’s smallest MCU gives engineers the flexibility to maintain the computing performance of their embedded systems without increasing board size,” TI said in the announcement.
Late last year, The Dallas Express reported that Texas Instruments secured over $1.6 billion in federal funding to support the construction of multiple new semiconductor fabrication plants. Two of the three new facilities will be located here in North Texas.
TI is also renovating its 500,000-square-foot Dallas headquarters. The refresh is expected to cost the company around $119 million and is scheduled to be completed by January 1, 2027.