Electronics

World's smallest comic carved into a strand of human hair

World's smallest comic carved into a strand of human hair
"Juanita Knits the Planet" found its way onto the hair not for its compelling narrative arc, but to showcase the potential of focused ion beaming technology
"Juanita Knits the Planet" found its way onto the hair not for its compelling narrative arc, but to showcase the potential of focused ion beaming technology
View 8 Images
Created for the Exceptional Hardware Software Meeting (EHSM) in Germany next month, "Juanita Knits the Planet" is the world's smallest comic strip
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Created for the Exceptional Hardware Software Meeting (EHSM) in Germany next month, "Juanita Knits the Planet" is the world's smallest comic strip
"Juanita Knits the Planet" found its way onto the hair not for its compelling narrative arc, but to showcase the potential of focused ion beaming technology
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"Juanita Knits the Planet" found its way onto the hair not for its compelling narrative arc, but to showcase the potential of focused ion beaming technology
The world's smallest comic strip was carved into the hair using a technique called focused ion beaming (FIB)
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The world's smallest comic strip was carved into the hair using a technique called focused ion beaming (FIB)
Focused ion beaming (FIB) involves using a sharp and high-speed jet of matter, sputtering atoms onto the surface to carve out a pattern in the process
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Focused ion beaming (FIB) involves using a sharp and high-speed jet of matter, sputtering atoms onto the surface to carve out a pattern in the process
The FIB technique differs from that used by IBM to produce the world's smallest magazine cover
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The FIB technique differs from that used by IBM to produce the world's smallest magazine cover
The world's smallest comic strip was carved into the hair using a technique called focused ion beaming (FIB)
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The world's smallest comic strip was carved into the hair using a technique called focused ion beaming (FIB)
The FIB technique differs from that used by IBM to produce the world's smallest magazine cover
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The FIB technique differs from that used by IBM to produce the world's smallest magazine cover
Created for the Exceptional Hardware Software Meeting (EHSM) in Germany next month, "Juanita Knits the Planet" is the world's smallest comic strip
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Created for the Exceptional Hardware Software Meeting (EHSM) in Germany next month, "Juanita Knits the Planet" is the world's smallest comic strip
View gallery - 8 images

Advances in technology have given rise to an abundance of ways to share our stories. There's messaging services for the short and sharp, blogging platforms for the long-winded and, as it happens, single strands of human hair for microscopic comic strips. Created for the Exceptional Hardware Software Meeting (EHSM) in Germany next month, "Juanita Knits the Planet" is the world's smallest comic strip, detailing a day in the life of Juanita, a ten micron-tall girl-turned-robot.

The world's smallest comic strip was carved into the hair using a technique called focused ion beaming (FIB). This involves using a sharp and high-speed jet of matter, sputtering atoms onto the surface to carve out a pattern in the process.

The FIB technique differs from that used by IBM to produce the world's smallest magazine cover last month, which was created to draw attention to what it sees as a stagnation of Moore's Law. The nanoscale magazine cover was crafted using a technique IBM calls nanopatterning and measures 11 x 14 micrometers.

In a similar vein, "Juanita Knits the Planet" found its way onto the hair not for its compelling narrative arc, but to showcase the potential of these technologies. This becomes more evident in trying to decipher the comic itself, comprising what could be described as an unintelligible series of sketches. But who are we to split hairs?

The video below offers further detail on the comic and its size.

Source: Exceptional Hardware Software Meeting

Juana Knits the Planet - The World's Smallest Comic

View gallery - 8 images
2 comments
2 comments
VincentVanGoghFuckYourself
What a time to be alive!
The Skud
I suppose that as a way to test the limits of new technology, this is as good as any. Can't see it hitting the bookstore shelves any time soon though.