GERMAN researchers have developed a tiny reversible pump which allows through just 50 nanolitres of liquid, equivalent to 1/1,000th of a drop of water.

The micropump was designed by researchers at the Fraunhofer Institute based in Munich for Solid State Technology. The pump consists of 4 silicon chips superimposed on each other. It could have significant medical applications, ranging from the controlled delivery of tiny amounts of medication to the manufacture of small amounts of chemicals. It could also be used to assist in the development of an artificial pancreas implant.