The article is a little misleading. It uses an off-the-shelf Cortex-M3 processor core; the real innovation is in the clever power management system they use, an

The article is a little misleading. It uses an off-the-shelf Cortex-M3 processor core; the real innovation is in the clever power management system they use, and in integrating a microchip and a battery and a solar panel into a single tiny unit. They're looking at using it for wireless sensor networks, and adapting it to use other energy sources so they could use it in medical implants.