microchips

Science

MIT’s Eyeball Chip Could Make The Blind See

11:40PM Mark Wilson | MIT researchers are developing a microchip that adheres to an eye to revive sight, and it could begin human trials within three years. More »
Hardware

IBM Examining Microchips Built On DNA “Oragami” Nanostructures

7:30AM Jack Loftus | From the “at least 10 years out” category of microchip fabrication comes word that IBM is working to reduce future costs and microchip sizes by using DNA. That’s correct, the building blocks of life could one day contribute to your virtual reality headshot in Halo 28: Master Chief Comes Back From the Dead for the 12th Time. More »
Science

Scientists Discover New State of Matter, Could Be Used To Upgrade Microchips

5:00PM Gizmodo US Edition | McGill University researchers have discovered a new state of matter to go along with good ol’ solid, liquid, gas, plasma and a handful of quantum states–it’s called a quasi-three-dimensional electron crystal. While the name sounds like something that would sap Superman’s powers, this new state of matter could be used to fabricate modern transistors and continue Moore’s Law… possibly indefinitely. More »
Hardware

The Microchip Turns 50 Today, Here’s the Original

12:40AM Mark Wilson | 50 years ago today, Texas Instrument’s Jack Kilby demonstrated the first working integrated circuit, or microchip. It’s a crude conglomeration of just five components, but it was also proof that a circuit could be miniaturised by housing all of its components on one piece of semiconductor material, allowing all these parts to work together without laborious (and technologically infeasible) manual connections. In essence, it’s the electronic wheel captured in first eureka. [Wired] More »
Hardware

Rohm Circuit Kills Vampire Power, Pulls No Electricity On Standby

7:00AM Gizmodo US Edition | Japanese semiconductor maker Rohm is looking to vanquish vampire power, the energy wasted by tech on stand-by, with its new LSI circuits. The circuits consume no electricity even when in stand-by mode, allowing for a quick power up without the power drain. Considering that roughly 10% of a house’s energy bill goes to these silent suckers, Rohm’s circuits could save money and the planet at the same time. More »