The World’s Smallest Camera Is The Size Of A Grain Of Sand

Cameras come in all shapes and sizes, with some being huge and bulky where they are used to capture hi-res images, while others are smaller where they can fit into our smartphones, and then there are some that are even smaller where they could be used for medical purposes, such as the OmniVision OV6948.

What makes this particular camera so special and technically amazing is that it is the size of a grain of sand, as you can see in the photo above. The OV6948 measures 0.575 x 0.575 x 0.232mm and is capable of producing a 40,000 pixel color image with its RGB Bayer back-side-illuminated chip.

As to what it could be used for, clearly this isn’t a camera designed for leisure or smartphone photography, but rather for medical use. This is because of its size, where it could be fitted into surgical tools that can be inserted into the body for operations. Previously, certain operations would require the surgeon to go in blind and rely on what they have been taught and through personal experience.

However, with the help of a camera, surgeons will be able to see what they’re doing. The size of the camera and its low-power consumption will also help generate less heat, meaning that there is lesser patient discomfort, which could allow surgeons to take their time instead of rushing through a procedure.

Tyler Lee
Categories: Medical, Photo-Video
Tags: Digital Cameras, Health