Microchip

These small integrated circuits embedded in semiconductors are integral to computers, cell phones and countless other devices of the modern world. The microchip has made it possible to analyze extremely large data sets — so-called big data — a process that would have been impossible or taken much, much longer in prior generations. These analyses provide public health professionals with statistics and data to make informed decisions more quickly. Indeed, the microchip and the digital technology it supports have led to a new field: public health informatics. Its practitioners study the application of digital information technologies to determine patterns, trends, and associations that help detect, manage, and prevent diseases and conditions.