Researchers Create World's 1st Programmable Nanoprocessor

Scientists at Harvard and the MITRE Corporation have developed the world's first programmable nanoprocessor. The metric prefix "nano" basically means "one-billionth". So, nanotechnology refers to devices measured in billionths of a meter, usually between 1 to 100. This breakthrough makes possible an entirely new class of commercial electronics. Also, the research represents a fundamental step to developing a nanocomputer, first envisioned 50 years ago by physicist Richard Feynman during a lecture at Caltech.

This development culminates a 10-15 year struggle according to Charles M. Lieber of Harvard:

"This work represents a quantum jump forward in the complexity and function of circuits built from the bottom up..."

Co-author Shamik Das also comments:

"Because of their very small size and very low power requirements, these new nanoprocessor circuits are building blocks that can control and enable an entirely new class of much smaller, lighter weight electronic sensors and consumer electronics."

Photo by Charles M. Leiber, Harvard University