Researchers at the National Science Foundation’s Center of Integrated Nanomechanical Systems have built a miniaturized radio using the mechanical vibration of a single carbon nanotube. What’s more, they say, it works.

“Fixed between two electrodes, the vibrating tube successfully performed the four critical roles of a radio — antenna, tunable filter, amplifier and demodulator — to tune in a radio signal generated in the room and play it back through an attached speaker,” NSF said.

“The application of a fully functioning radio receiver less than 50 millionths of an inch in length and one millionth of an inch in diameter potentially allows the radio control of almost anything, from a single receiver in a living cell to a vast array embedded in an airplane wing.”

According to the NSF: “Functional across a bandwidth widely used for commercial radio, the tiny device could have applications far beyond novelty, from radio-controlled devices that could flow in the human bloodstream to highly efficient, miniscule, cell phone devices.”

Can’t wait to have my phone and MP3 player stuck into my thumb.