Being small like a tardigrade - a demonstration |
Bosch microchip pin, 1980s. Overall length 44 mm |
On closer inspection it becomes apparent that the BOSCH company
actually used a real microchip in this PR product. |
By means of the bare eye the microchip basically appears as a silvery surface area, possibly with some coating defects. But, no problem, we do have a microscope for this kind of object! |
The microchip surface area, as seen under the incident light microscope. This microchip is said to have been the brain of the BOSCH "ABS" vehicle brake control - some decades ago. |
And now we are moving on to the tardigrade ruler function! How big
might a typical tardigrade appear when positioned upon the chip? Just have a guess!
Like the red symbol on the left side of the chip below? |
The small red dot close to the end of the black arrow is symbolizing a Batillipes tardigrade in its actual size. |
We are well aware that those tiny conductive structures
on the microchip are demonstrating impressive technical and cultural achievements of the late 20th century.
Nevertheless the structures are looking rather coarse when keeping in mind that
the tardigrade is a multisensor self-sustaining creature, thus being able to feed,
to sense, to move and to have sex with partners which might live many sand grains away. |
© Text, images and video clips by
Martin Mach (webmaster@baertierchen.de). |