GOING SMALL: Japanese electronics maker Murata has developed the world’s tiniest version of a component known as the capacitor.
WHAT IT DOES: Capacitors, which store electric energy, are used in just about every type of gadget ? smartphones, laptops, parts for hybrid cars, medical equipment and digital cameras.
WHAT IT MEANS: It’s potentially big business. Smaller componentry allows for other innovations and improvements from thinner devices to longer battery life.