TI intros world's smallest MCU, enabling innovation in tiniest of apps

Texas Instruments (TI) has introduced the world's smallest MCU, expanding its comprehensive Arm Cortex-M0+ MSPM0 MCU portfolio. Measuring only 1.38mm2, about the size of a black pepper flake, the wafer chip-scale package (WCSP) for the MSPM0C1104 MCU enables designers to optimize board space in applications such as medical wearables and personal electronics, without compromising performance.

"In tiny systems such as earbuds and medical probes, board space is a scarce and valuable resource," said Vinay Agarwal, VP and GM of MSP Microcontrollers at TI. "With the addition of the world's smallest MCU, our MSPM0 MCU portfolio provides unlimited possibilities to enable smarter, more connected experiences in our day-to-day lives."

With over 100 cost-effective MCUs, TI's MSPM0 MCU portfolio offers scalable configurations of on-chip analog peripherals and a range of computing options to enhance the sensing and control capabilities of embedded designs. TI displayed these devices at embedded world 2025, March 11-13, in Nuremberg, Germany.

Tiny package, big possibilities
Consumers are continuously demanding that everyday electronic items, such as electric toothbrushes and stylus pens, offer more features in a smaller footprint at a lower cost. To innovate within these shrinking products, engineers are increasingly seeking compact, integrated components that enable them to add functionality while preserving board space.

The MSPM0C1104 MCU leverages the advantages of WCSP packaging technology, along with intentional feature selection and TI's cost optimization efforts. The size of the eight-ball WCSP is 1.38mm2, making it 38% smaller than competing devices.

The MCU features 16KB of memory; a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter with three channels; six general-purpose input/output pins; and compatibility with standard communication interfaces such as Universal Asynchronous Receiver Transmitter (UART), Serial Peripheral Interface (SPI) and Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C). Integrating accurate, high-speed analog components into the world's smallest MCU gives engineers the flexibility to maintain the computing performance of their embedded systems without increasing board size.