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Alejandro Alcolea
WriterWriter at Xataka. I studied education and music, but since 2014 I've been writing about my passion: video games and technology. I specialize in product analysis, photography, and video. My body is 70% coffee.
Karen Alfaro
WriterCommunications professional with a decade of experience as a copywriter, proofreader, and editor. As a travel and science journalist, I've collaborated with several print and digital outlets around the world. I'm passionate about culture, music, food, history, and innovative technologies.
In the processor segment, there’s a race to increase numbers: more transistors, more performance, more speed—and in the case of GPUs, more power consumption. At the same time, there’s also a race to shrink components while maintaining or exceeding the performance of previous generations. Texas Instruments just set a new benchmark with the MSPM0C1104.
The cover image shows the world’s smallest microcontroller (MCU), packed with impressive capabilities.
MCUs are essentially small computers on a single chip. They can perform tasks without requiring a complex operating system by integrating the processor, RAM, and EEPROM into a single unit. They also include the necessary pins for input and output signals, among other components. A well-known example is the Raspberry Pi RP2040. MCUs are designed to work with lightweight systems and handle specific tasks.
MSPM0C1104: the tiny powerhouse. This is the name Texas Instruments gave to what it claims is the world’s smallest MCU, measuring just 1.38 mm². To visualize its size, compare it to a black pepper flake. The company says it is 38% smaller than the smallest competing MCUs.
$0.16 per unit. The technology packed into this tiny chip is remarkable. Built on the ARM Cortex-M0+ architecture, it features a 24 MHz frequency, 16 KB of memory, a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter, six input/output pins, and support for standard communication interfaces.
When purchased in 1,000-unit packages, each chip costs as little as $0.16. Texas Instruments offers a rapid prototyping hardware kit to help developers create and test MCU applications quickly, even without prior programming experience.
Texas Instruments' MCU integrated into a headset.
“Unlimited possibilities.” That 24 MHz and 16 KB of RAM may not sound like much, but this MCU isn’t designed to run an operating system like a Raspberry Pi. Instead, it’s tailored for specialized applications.
Texas Instruments highlights its potential for stylus pens, advanced toothbrushes, and other compact devices. The company says, “[It] provides unlimited possibilities to enable smarter, more connected experiences in our day-to-day lives,” citing examples like headphones and medical probes.
Because this MCU is so small, it allows devices to maintain current performance while freeing up board space. Manufacturers can use the extra space to add more features or improve battery capacity.
Beyond the basics. The press release provides only a few examples, but a video showcases additional use cases. For instance, this MCU could be embedded in USB-C cables. By reducing the processor’s size, manufacturers can reinforce connections, improve power dissipation, and enhance speed.
Another intriguing possibility is smart rings. Their circuit boards are challenging to design—not just because of their tiny size but also their curved shape. The less space a processor takes up, the more room is available for a larger battery or additional sensors.
In the end, these MCUs are especially appealing to tech enthusiasts and manufacturers, but their shrinking size serves a practical purpose. This race for miniaturization isn’t just about setting records—it’s about solving real-world problems in the devices we use daily—and, of course, finding yet another way to run Doom.
Image | Texas Instruments
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