Smallest Gadgets of Their Kind in the World
“Small is beautiful.” This phrase is the best and most concise way of describing the beauty of small things. Irrespective of their usage, the majority of the smallest gadgets in the world are extremely attractive. Ranging from a personal computer to an artificial heart, a few of these extraordinary creations are discussed below.
Table of Contents
Artificial Heart
Probably the most useful of all the smallest gadgets on the list, this artificial heart was actually battery-sized. It was developed by Dr. Robert Jarvik for a 16-month-old-baby, who had dilated cardiomyopathy.
The smallest artificial heart patient needed a transplant but couldn’t find a donor. Hence, the doctors were forced to improvise if they had to save this innocent child. Although the device was NEVER tested on humans, the doctors replaced the infant’s heart with the Jarvik’s device (May 2012).
Basically, it is an implantable pump that needs to be kept outside the body. In contrast to the weight of (900 grams) of an artificial adult heart, Jarvik’s device weighs about 11 grams. Even though it increased the risk of infection considerably, this artificial heart was used as the last alternative.
Fortunately, things went well and the child lived on the Jarvik’s device for 13 days. During this period, a donor was found for the transplant. In the end, this case proved quite beneficial because it was a massive step towards an ACTUAL artificial heart.
Camera
The resolution of 0.06 megapixels does seem a little too little for capturing any useful images. However, a disposable camera (with this resolution) can provide an important medical application. The researchers from the Fraunhofer Institute (in Germany) designed this small camera that can capture images within the body.
The cameras have a volume of 1 mm3 and can be used for only one medical procedure. This is because these smallest gadgets are not only inexpensive but are also easy-to-make. Their cost-effectiveness can make them an ideal substitute for expensive endoscopes that require regular maintenance.
Despite the fact that the quality of images is not good, this camera is good enough for the designated job. It reaches the inaccessible places inside the body to reveal the underlying causes of different diseases. Given the advancement of technology in recent years, it is believed that the resolution of these tiny cameras will improve, very soon.
Microcomputer
Nowadays, the term “microcomputer” is used quite often as the efforts are being made to make the computers, even smaller. In 2011, the FXI Technologies (Norwegian company) produced a “TRUE” microcomputer that can be easily mistaken for a USB drive. Ironically, this machine offers its own micro USB port.
This personal computer is called the FXI Cotton Candy and has a range of features. Starting with a 1.2 GHz dual-core processor, it has a storage capacity of 64 GB. Similarly, this microcomputer was equipped with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technologies.
It can operate on either Android or Ubuntu and plays a full HD video. For this purpose, you can also easily connect this gadget to any HD display. As far as the price is concerned, it will cost you $200 to get this thumb-sized computer.
Drone
Inspired directly from insect biology, RoboBee is an extremely small drone that offers various potential applications (in addition to spying). For instance, these drones can be used to improve climate mapping and for analyzing search-and-rescue operations. Likewise, they can be helpful in monitoring weather and traffic.
Honeybees are incredibly important for all the other living beings on our planet. Therefore, the decrease in the number of honeybees is a worrying sign for the people of all regions. RoboBees can be handy for tackling this situation because they can help with the pollination process. All you need to do is to program vast swarms of these drones and they will get the job done.
Television Screen
The ME1602 was developed by a Scottish firm (called MicroEmissive), in 2007. According to Guinness World Records, it is still the smallest television screen in the world. It has a surface area of about 12 mm2 and can have a maximum of 30,000 pixels in it.
The quality of resolution is a massive drawback for this screen. Having said that, it has been a successful product for the industries (military, medical, etc.) that require tiny embedded displays. For sake of comparison, 283,333,333 of these smallest gadgets (ME1602) can fit into the world’s largest video screen.
Computer Scientist by qualification who loves to read, write, eat, and travel