On March 11, at Embedded World 2025, Texas Instruments (TI) introduced the world's smallest microcontroller (MCU) — the MSPM0C1104, measuring just 1.38 mm² — about the size of a black pepper flake and 38% smaller than the smallest competing MCUs on the market. Designed for medical wearables and personal electronics, the tiny MCU is priced at $0.16 per unit in bulk orders.

Powerful Performance in a Tiny Package

Despite its miniature size, the MSPM0C1104 packs impressive performance, featuring:

●  Arm Cortex-M0+ 32-bit CPU running at 24 MHz

● 16KB of flash memory and 1KB of SRAM

● 12-bit SAR analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with three channels

● Six general-purpose input/output (GPIO) pins

● Standard communication interfaces, including UART, SPI, and I²C

The MCU is part of TI's MSPM0 portfolio, designed to scale across various sensing and control applications. It integrates on-chip analog peripherals for accurate, high-speed performance — ideal for devices that rely on sensing and control capabilities.

Engineered for Wearables and Space-Constrained Devices

inay Agarwal, Vice President and General Manager of TI's MSP Microcontrollers, emphasized the importance of this innovation:
"In miniature systems like earbuds and medical probes, PCB space is scarce and precious. With the world's smallest MCU, our MSPM0 portfolio opens new possibilities for smarter, more connected everyday experiences."

The MSPM0C1104 is designed to endure extreme environments, operating between -40°C to 125°C, while consuming only 87μA/MHz in active mode and 5μA in standby with SRAM retention — making it highly energy-efficient for battery-powered devices. It even includes a built-in beeper for enhanced functionality.

Easy Development and Affordable Pricing

TI supports the MSPM0C1104 with an optimized software development kit, a Zero Code Studio tool for no-code configuration, and hardware prototyping kits for rapid design. Developers can get hands-on with the MSPM0C1104 LaunchPad development kit, priced at $5.99 on TI.com.

With a price point of $0.16 per unit (in batches of 1,000), the MSPM0C1104 offers an affordable, compact, and versatile solution for designers aiming to create smaller, smarter, and more efficient devices — redefining possibilities for medical, personal electronics, and IoT innovations.