美國發明世界最小計算機

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Scientists from University of Michigan have created the world's smallest computer system to help treat glaucoma patients. At just one square millimeter in size, the tiny device is a pressure monitor that is implanted in a person's eye.

美國密歇根大學的科學家近日發明了世界上最小的計算機系統用來治療青光眼患者。該系統面積只有1平方毫米，用於監測壓力，可以植入青光眼患者的眼部。

It may be small but it packs a hefty punch, containing an ultra low-power microprocessor, a pressure sensor, memory, a thin film battery, a solar cell and a wireless radio with an antenna that can transmit data to an external reader device.

The system wakes every 15 minutes to take measurements and consumes an average of 5.3 nanowatts. It can store up to a week's worth of information. It requires exposure to ten hours of indoor light each day or 1.5 hours of sunlight.

系統雖然微小卻五臟俱全，包括耗電極微的微處理器、感壓器、記憶體、薄膜電池，太陽能電池和帶有天線、可以將數據傳至外部接收器的無線電臺。

Researcher said it is the first true millimeter-scale complete computing system. With all the components low-power and fit on the chip, people can collect data, store it and transmit it.

這個監測器每15分鐘“醒”一次，測量數據，平均耗電5.3豪微瓦。它可以儲存一週的數據信息。它每天只需10小時的室內光線或者1.5小時的太陽光來充電。

The unit is expected to be commercially available in several years, and is already being touted as the future of the computing industry. A network of such units could one day track pollution, monitor structural integrity, perform surveillance, or make virtually any object, according to the scientists.　　

研發人員稱這是第一套真正意義上的毫米級、完整的計算機系統。裏面所有元件都耗電極低，裝在一塊芯片上，人們可以收集、儲存和發送信息。

這個微型系統有望在數年內完成商業化，並且被認爲是計算機工業的未來發展方向。科學家稱這種微型系統聯網後可以用來監測污染、建築結構、巡邏以及追蹤幾乎任何物體。