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.