In part, this is why many believe micromachines are "destined to become a hallmark 21st-century manufacturing technology" that will be just as grand and profitable as the digital circuitry it follows.

FORBES: MicroMachines: They're Huge

Akustica, based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, puts a MEMS microphone complete with the circuitry needed for digital output into a package less than 5mm square.

ECONOMIST: Noise-cancelling technology

The smaller models of the Digital Studio series use a built-in graphics adapter in the Intel 810 chipset, the circuitry that is normally used to control other components of the motherboard such as the PCI bus, and the serial and parallel ports.

CNN: Sony Digital Studio allows professional video editing on a PC

And as with the flexible circuitry, this technology has commercial applications on its own, in devices such as portable computers or digital cameras.

ECONOMIST: Just press print