Physicists have built a new technology on a microchip by combining two Nobel Prize-winning techniques. This microchip could measure distances in materials at high precision, for example underwater or for medical imaging. Because the technology uses sound vibrations instead of light, it is useful for high-precision position measurements in opaque materials. There's no need for complex feedback loops or for tuning certain parameters to get it to operate properly. This makes it a very simple and low-power technology, that is much easier to miniaturize on a microchip. What makes it special is that it doesn't need any precision hardware and is therefore easy to produce. It only requires inserting a laser, and nothing else. The instrument could lead to new techniques to monitor the Earth's climate and human health.
