Portable electronic gadgets are decreasing in size but increasing in capabilities. The rate of change is phenomenal. And the consumer continually benefits from these updated products.
Radio, television, radar, early computers all depended on vacuum tubes for their circuitry. They are large, use a lot of energy, and produce heat. Next came solid state transistors, which are much smaller, use less energy, and produce little or no heat. Transistors can amplify a signal or open/close a circuit. The transistor was invented in 1947. Transistors are now the major component in all digital circuits.
Today's computers sport microprocessors with millions of microscopic-sized silicon transistors. Other electronic items also use these silicon switches to conduct electrical flow.
For decades the number of silicon transistors that engineers have been able to squeeze onto each inch of a circuit has roughly doubled every 18 months. But there is limit to this. Reducing the bulkiness of silicon transistors has now become a challenge. At some point, engineers won't be able to squeeze any more transistors onto a chip.
Enter the nanotube. Nanotubes were first made in the 1990's, and have allowed electronic gadgets to become smaller and smaller. These nanotubes are more than a thousand times thinner than human hair and are good electrical conductors. They are hollow, unbranched cylinders of rolled up carbon atoms.
Now new carbon nanotubes are shaped like y's and have small metal particles embedded at their junctions. The structure allows electricity to flow through the different branches. Researchers hope that it might eventually be possible to replace standard silicon transistors with much smaller versions fashioned from carbon nanotubes.
So I ask this question? How small is too small before a cellular phone or GPS unit becomes awkward to use? Shall we have the modern genetic scientists start developing humans with smaller fingers so as to be able to use smaller keypads? Or have we reached the smallest practical size now, and researches will make our current small devices more powerful, faster, and with more capabilities?
Portable Electronics Post #1
About David R
David is an electronics gadget fanatic. He buys them, uses them daily and constantly, and gives them for gifts. If he had a lot of money he would have a company that designs and produces them.
His favorite gadgets currently are GPS Wrist Watches, mp4 players, and fish finders.
His favorite gadgets currently are GPS Wrist Watches, mp4 players, and fish finders.
No comments:
Post a Comment