New microprocessor uses 30 thousand times less energy

Engineers at the University of Michigan have developed a microprocessor that uses 30 thousand times less energy on hold and ten times less when in activity that other microprocessors. The processor, called the Phoenix by their creators, established a new brand of low power consumption and was to be used in medical implants, control of environments and surveillance teams.

In theory, the energy stored in a battery to watch would be enough to keep Phoenix in operation for 263 years. The project was led by Scott Hanson, the doctoral student in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, which will present the design on June 20 in the Symposium of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers on circuits.

According to the University of Michigan, the Phoenix measures one millimeter square, same size of its battery and this is what differentiates the establishment. "In many cases the batteries are much larger than the processors that feed on energy and this dramatically expands the size and cost of the entire system," said David Wedgdwood, Prof. Blaauw, professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science.

"For example, the battery in a laptop computer is almost five thousand times greater than the processor and provides only a few hours of energy," he explained. "The low consumption allows us to reduce the size of the battery and, consequently, the size of the entire system," said Blaauw.

A group of researchers at the University of Michigan is testing the Phoenix in a biomedical sensor that controls the eye pressure in patients with glaucoma. The University indicated that the engineers believe that processors such as this could also disperse over an area to create an invisible network of sensors to monitor water and air or they detect movements.

Another possible use is a mixture of microprocessors in order to take concrete information on the structural integrity of buildings and new bridges.

To reach this very low power consumption, the engineers of the Phoenix concentrated in standby mode, which is how the sensors are more than 99% of its useful life.