Small Tech, Big Effects

From mobile phones the size and weight of a brick to sleek smartphones that barely tip the scales, from floppy disks that can barely contain a high-definition audio file to thumb drives that can hold hundreds of gigs of data, we have indeed come to an age where everything is smaller yet more powerful. In fact, most, if not all, big pieces of technology nowadays contain a tiny component that makes everything possible. Here’s a look at some of the smallest pieces of tech that have had a big impact over the years.

Transistors

Invented in 1947 by physicists John Bardeen, Walter Brattain, and William Shockley, the transistor is the most fundamental component of all modern electronic devices and systems. At the time, the point-contact transistor paved the way for the more affordable production of devices like computers and radios, and Bardeen, Brattain, and Shockley would, later on, win the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Today, a majority of transistors are produced as part of integrated circuits or ICs, which also include capacitors, diodes, and resistors, among other electronic components. However, there are still billions of individual transistors — called discrete transistors — produced each year. They are used whenever a circuit requires more drive current, like in audio amplifiers, or needs to operate at higher voltages.

Integrated Circuits

In relation to transistors, ICs (also called microchips or simply chips) contain multiple electronic components such as capacitors, diodes, gyrators, resistors, and transistors, the number of which varies depending on the final purpose of the IC. Because of their small size and capability of being mass-produced quickly and cheaply, ICs are now used in almost every electronic appliances and equipment we use today, like cameras, computers and gaming consoles, smartphones, and televisions, among many others.

Miniature Motors

Miniature motors have various applications, including but not limited to automation and robotics, medical and clinical diagnostic equipment manufacturing, instrumentation, and automobile and aerospace manufacturing. One of the most common miniature motors used nowadays is high-power brushless DC motors that offer higher torque, speed, and efficiency in a small, convenient, and quiet package. These motors are often seen in power tools such drills and screwdrivers, HVAC and refrigeration systems, industrial engineering applications such as motion control systems and positioning or actuation systems, aeromodelling, and radio-controlled applications like cars and drones.

Nanotechnology

In simple terms, nanotechnology is the precise manipulation of any matter on a molecular or atomic scale, with the goal of manufacturing macroscale technological products and discovering scientific advances. The National Nanotechnology Institute defines the range of measurement for nanotechnology as 1 to 100 nanometers — for a size comparison, the width of a strand of human hair is about 60,000 to 80,000 nanometers.

Nanotechnology has several and varied applications, including medicine and biotechnology. For example, there are now anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory bandages and other wound dressings infused with silver nanoparticles, which also helps heal cuts faster. It’s also valuable in green energy research, construction (for example, making concrete stronger and more durable by enhancing cement at a nano-level), and aerospace and automobile manufacturing. Nanotechnology is even used in sports to develop golf balls that fly straighter and tennis balls that maintain their bounce for much longer.

Batteries

Compared to the other items on this list, the battery is definitely the biggest. However, its impact is definitely considerable, especially for something that could be as small as a button. There are two main classifications of batteries: primary cells or batteries, which are also called single-use or disposable batteries and are used for a variety of electric and electronic appliances, and secondary or rechargeable batteries, which include lead-acid batteries used in most automobiles and lithium-ion batteries used in electronic devices like laptops and smartphones. There are also several components within larger systems that have individual batteries, like computer motherboards (CMOS battery).

Perhaps due in part to societal norms, we’ve always associated “big” with “powerful.” However, as proven by these technological wonders, big, great things do come in small packages.