IBM: Size Does Matter

March 28, 2018

Long known for its hulking mainframes, IBM is going small. Really, really small. PAT PILCHER explains.

IBMโ€™s name is synonymous with hulking great mainframes. Some even say the letters IBM stand for Itโ€™s a Big Machine (another fun fact: Go one letter forward in the alphabet from I, B and M and see what it spells out – think 2001: A Space Odyssey.)

Big Blue must have been listening, because theyโ€™ve just gone and created a world record for the worldโ€™s smallest computer. When I say small, Iโ€™m really not kidding โ€“ their tiny computer is smaller than a single grain of salt.

Witchdoctor’s proposed Doom gaming rig, powered by IBM’s tiny computer

As your significant other has probably already told you, size doesnโ€™t matter, it’s what you do with it that counts, and IBMโ€™s wee computer has the compute power of a circa 1990 Pentium. It could, in theory, run a game of Doom. Getting your meat sticks to work the WASD and CTRL keys may be a challenge though as youโ€™d most likely need a an electron microscope.

Hereโ€™s the really clever thing: It is so cheap to make (US$0.10 per computer), that you could literally put one anywhere to add intelligence to even the most mundane tasks (or even a sly game of Solitaire).

IBM say that their wee computer could act as a data source for blockchain applications. It could be pasted into a shipping carton or documents to track the shipment of goods and detect fraud too.

This is only the beginning say IBM. Soon ultra-tiny computers could form cryptographic anchors and will be embedded in a host of everyday objects, pushing blockchain into the real-world.

IBM researchers have yet to confirm a date for commercial production but are testing prototypes.

Pat has been talking about tech on TV, radio and print for over 20 years, having served time as a TV tech guy and currently penning reviews for Witchdoctor. He loves nothing more than rolling his sleeves up and playing with shiny gadgets.

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