Cell Phones Got Smaller
Not that long ago, the size of a mobile phone determined its value. The smaller, the better! That’s because the first mobile phones were so large.
Cell phones have reduced. No longer the 2.5 pound original. We measure in 4-6 ounce range. No longer 10 inches long and very thick. We measure in screen size of 4-6 inches and extremely thin. Even bendable. No longer a 20 minute battery. We measure, if you’re careful, in days, although 4-6 days may be pushing it. Unless you have a dumbphone.
Computers Got Smaller
In the meantime, computers have also reduced. Their dietetic reduction started with room-sized, down to desk-sized. Thin clients have carried the game further, losing a lot of weight as well as desk space. The name says it all!
So just when you thought they couldn’t get any smaller IBM has developed a computer the size of a grain of salt. At the IBM Think 2018 conference the world’s smallest computer was unveiled.
Reduced Size = Reduced Cost
At $0.10 per unit to manufacture, the salt-sized computer will be ideal for setting up a blockchain array or extending the reach of IoT. This application tracks a shipment of goods, detects theft, fraud and non-compliance, and sorts data collected.
Reducing the size even further from the salt-sized device, IBM anticipates a computer anchored through an ink dot. This will allow embedding the computer onto everyday objects and devices. Eventually, applicational development will lead the way to see more minuscule computers.
Blueprint of the Future
This link provides a blueprint of the future of minuscule 1 x 1mm computers. It is a picture of a research array of a system of computers intended to pursue the objectives of IoT and blockchain protection. While the benefit abounds, so does the potential for misuse.
Who knows what and who will be tracked or how and where the data will be captured and stored. It is a thought at once fascinating and terrifying.
In the meantime, technology continues to shrink and gain powerful processing application. While Alliant doesn’t handle grain-of-salt sized computers, we can help you bump your technology up a level. If you have been considering a “technology refresh,” give Alliant a call. We will help you evaluate your options.