On March 13, Texas Instruments (TI) announced at Embedded World 2025 the release of what it claims to be the “world’s smallest microcontroller (MCU)”, with an area of only 1.38 square millimeters and a price of approximately $0.16.
This MCU, named MSPM0C1104, features an Arm Cortex-M0+ core, 16KB of memory, a 12-bit SAR ADC with three channels and six general-purpose input/output pins, and provides standard communication interfaces including Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI), and Inter-Integrated Circuit (I²C).
The MCU is part of the MSPM0 MCU series, which includes 100-pin compatible devices with scalable configurations of on-chip analog peripherals and a range of computational options for sensing and control applications. This series is manufactured internally by Texas Instruments.
Additionally, Texas Instruments offers an optimized software development kit for all MSPM0 MCUs, along with hardware development kits for rapid prototyping. TI’s Zero Code Studio tool allows users to configure, develop, and run microcontroller applications in minutes without coding.
The release of this MCU marks a significant breakthrough for Texas Instruments in the ultra-small MCU field, especially for medical devices and micro-systems, where its small size and high performance make it an ideal choice. Texas Instruments states that the MSPM0C1104 is 38% smaller than the current smallest MCU on the market, measuring only 1.38mm².
“In micro-systems such as earbuds and medical probes, PCB space is a scarce and valuable resource,” said Vinay Agarwal, Vice President and General Manager of MSP Microcontrollers at Texas Instruments. “With the addition of the world’s smallest MCU, our MSPM0 MCU portfolio offers endless possibilities for providing smarter, more connected experiences in our daily lives.”
This MCU not only brings a smarter and more connected user experience to small devices but also boasts excellent environmental adaptability, operating stably in extreme temperatures ranging from -40°C to 125°C.
In terms of energy efficiency, the MSPM0C1104 excels with a running power consumption of only 87μA/MHz, a standby power consumption as low as 5μA, and supports SRAM data retention. Furthermore, the MCU includes a built-in buzzer function, further simplifying peripheral circuit design and providing device manufacturers with higher integration and lower development costs.
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