Smallest biological computing device

8 July 2014 by admin
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A team of scientists led by Ehud Shapiro of the Weizmann Istitute of Science (Israel) have adapted molecules of DNA to act as tiny molecular computing devices. Two DNA molecules and a molecule called an enzyme react together, acting as input, software, hardware, and power supply. Experiments have shown that a microlitre of salt solution, containing 3 trillion self-contained DNA computing devices can perform 66 billion operations per second, with the necessary power/fuel for the computations provided by the DNA itself as it is cleaved Continue reading →

Smallest autopilot

8 July 2014 by admin
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Weighing only 16.65 g (0.58 oz) and measuring 5 x 3.4 x 1.2 cm (2 x 1.37 x 0.47 in) the Kestrel Autopilot is smallest and lightest full-featured autopilot currently on the market. Manufactured by Procerus Technologies (USA), it is designed for use in Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) with surveillance and reconnaissance applications. It can guide micro and mini UAVs and provides autonomous flight control with the Global Positioning System (GPS) waypoint navigation and autonomous take-off, flight and auto-landing capabilities. Kestrel has a TM sign Continue reading →

Smallest atomic clock

8 July 2014 by admin
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In August 2004 the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST), in Boulder, Colorado, USA, unveiled a prototype atomic clock the size of a grain of rice. With a volume of less than 10 mm³ (0.0006 in³), and drawing just 75 milliwatts of power, the chip-scale vapour atomic clock is accurate to one second in 3,000 years. http://physicsweb.org/articles/news/8/9/2/1

Smallest animal used in detecting land mines

8 July 2014 by admin
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The smallest animal currently being trained to potentially detect land mines is the honeybee (Apis mellifera), which measures 12 mm (0.5 in) long. In August 2003, field tests led by researchers from the University of Montana, in cooperation with Sandia National Laboratories, S&K Electronics and Montana State University (all USA), noted a 98% success rate in tests observing the insects hovering in response to chemicals leaking into the air from buried explosives. The 98% refers to tests with chemical vapour concentrations as parts per billion. Continue reading →

Smallest country

8 July 2014 by admin
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The smallest independent country in the world is the State of the Vatican City or Holy See (Stato della Città del Vaticano), an enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. Its sovereignty was recognised by the Italian government under the terms of the Lateran Treaty on 11 February 1929. The enclave has an area of 0.44 km² (0.17 miles²).

Smallest guided missile

8 July 2014 by admin
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At just 2.4 kg (5.3 lb), the US Navy’s new Spike missile is significantly smaller than any other missile of its kind. It was originally intended to be used with a lightweight hand-held launcher, but its size meant it was perfectly suited to unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Spike’s highly precise targeting system combines an imaging electro-optical sensor with laser guidance and is capable of locking on to a target as small as a motorcycle.

Smallest GPS chip

8 July 2014 by admin
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In February 2008 NXP Semiconductors (Netherlands) announced its GNS7560 GPS receiver chip. Designed to be incorporated into mobile phones and PDAs, it measures just 3.6 x 2.4 x 0.6 mm and consumes less than 15 mW of power.

Smallest elephant (species)

8 July 2014 by admin
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The world’s smallest elephant is the Borneo pygmy, which is a sub-species of, and 30 % smaller than, the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus). An adult male measures 1.7-2.6 m (5 ft 6 in-8 ft 6 in) tall, whereas the female is 1.5-2.2 m (4 ft 11 in-7 ft 2 in) in height. The average estimated weight is 2,500 kg (5,500 lb). The current population is under 2,000, all living in Borneo, Malaysia, where they were confirmed as being a separate sub-species in September 2003, following Continue reading →

Smallest electric motor

8 July 2014 by admin
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The world’s smallest electric motor measures one nanometre across and consists of a single molecule of butyl methyl sulphide on a copper surface. The molecule spins under the influence of electric charge introduced by the tip of a scanning tunnelling microscope. This work was achieved by scientists at the Department of Chemistry, Tufts University, Massachusetts, USA, and announced in September 2011.

Smallest drum kit peripheral

8 July 2014 by admin
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Fitting over the lower screen of the DS Lite, the Drum Grip peripheral released for Band Hero DS (Activision, 2009) is the smallest videogame drum kit. The grip, made out of silicone rubber, fits over the Lite’s 133 mm by 73.9 mm (5.2 in x 2.9 in) frame but is not compatible with the original DS or the newer DSI.