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Posted 09/08/99 7:02pm by Tony Smith
UK boffins unveil $35 '2300GB on a PC Card' RAM breakthrough
A team of UK researchers from Keele University have developed a "three-dimensional memory system" which, they claim, offers the highest storage densities ever achieved.
In fact, the technology can squeeze 2300GB into a PC Card-sized device, according to yesterday's Mail on Sunday.
And the system is scalable so that even a wristwatch could contain 100GB of storage capacity.
And alongside the technological breakthrough came a rare example of British entrepreneurship: Keele and capital management company Cavendish Management Resources (CMR) have formed a JV, Keele High Density, to market and license the technology. We Brits have long had a reputation of coming up with cracking innovations but being completely unable to exploit them.
CMR MD Mike Downey was particularly bullish about the innovation, describing it as "big as the creation of the microchip". He predicted the technology would eliminate the hard drive, and that once the new memory system goes into production, units will cost only œ35 to make.
Maybe, but that may be a little way off. The technology, which, according to the MoS report, exploits the storage properties of a new family of alloys, is currently awaiting various patents to be granted -- which is probably why the team isn't too keen on discussing how it works. Further development work needs to be done to get the technology ready for mass production.
However, the researchers, led by Professor Ted Williams, who cuts a Sir Clive Sinclair-style figure but can at least, having led the development of the nuclear magnetic resonance scanner, claim to have invented something useful, said the technology can be easily incorporated into existing computer hardware. ©
More details of the breakthrough
See also
More from Keele
IBM slashes hard drive recording speed
Samsung unveils SDRAM-beating SGRAM
Tosh develops combo CD/DVD drive
Hitachi cracks 'movie on a chip' memory
Sinclair plans Linux box for comeback
theregister.co.uk
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Posted 09/08/99 10:45pm by Tony Smith
'2300GB on a PC Card' RAM technology: more details
More details have emerged regarding the amazing '2300GB on a PC Card' memory technology developed by a Keele University team led by the remarkable Professor Ted Williams.
(Even as we speak, Register scriptwriters are working on the pilot episode of Prof. Ted, Craggy Island's very own quantum mechanic: "Feck! Girls! Many-particle Wave Functions!").
The team's system crams 86GB of data storage per square centimetre of physical medium, and uses a magneto-optical system to read, erase and write data within the solid state system. That allows, claim the researchers, a data access rate of 100Mbps.
We also learn that Cavendish Management Resources (CMR), which is providing the business brains behind the Keele/CMR joint venture, Keele High Density, is also pioneering the following scientific curiousities, among others:
"Zodee -- A disposable toilet cleaning device which avoids the hygiene problems associated with conventional toilet brushes. With major application in hotels and hospitals, this product is likely to be of interest to manufacturers, and downstream processors, of paper tissue."
The Register says: Expect Intel to launch its Downstream processor Real Soon Now.
"Disposal Speculum -- A unique inflatable vaginal speculum which cost effectively solves the problems of current instruments. This project has caused worldwide interest from manufacturers of medical disposables, and is likely to make a major impact on the speculum market."
The Register says: We always preferred the Sinclair Speculum.
"Light Weight Wheel -- A totally new concept for a combined light weight wheel/hub, likely to be of interest to manufacturers of automotive wheels and/or hubs."
The Register says: Wheel meet again, don't know where, don't know when...
CMR is promoting something called X-Cel. We're not sure what it is -- something to do with concrete, apparently -- but we're told Bill Gates already has his lawyers onto it... ©
theregister.co.uk
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'KEELE' ULTRA HIGH DENSITY MEMORY SYSTEM
A Quantum Jump in Memory Storage and Access
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Professor Ted Williams, Emeritus Professor of Electronic Engineering at Keele University, Staffordshire, England has developed a patented solid state memory system with the capacity of 86 Giga Bytes per square centimetre of surface area. The system uses a magneto-optical system not dissimilar to that of CD-ROM, except that the system is fixed, solid state, and has a different operating approach.
The system has applications for computer and processor memory for credit cards and smart cards, and for high security bank notes, among many other uses.
In computer memory format, the system has a capacity per sq cm in excess of 86 Giga Bytes of re-writeable RAM data - this equates to a memory capacity of 3400 Giga Bytes(3.4 Tb) within the surface area of a credit card! Data access time is around 100 Mb/sec. A single unit with this capacity, but using the computer's processor, has a physical size of about 3 cm x 3 cm x 1.5 cms (high). An additional advantage over existing data storage systems is that only 20% of gross capacity needs to be allocated for error correction, which is significantly less than the 40% for hard disks and 30% for optical storage. Production costs are anticipated to be less than œ30 for such a unit.
Patents have been granted for parts of the system, and patent applications have been filed for other aspects.
The invention will have a major impact on the computer industry, giving even small palmtop computers the capacity of a mainframe! The effect on other industries will be equally significant - for example, televisions could have built-in solid state video recorders, wristwatches could have vastly more power than today's PC Computers. Implications for the security of financial instruments credit cards and bank notes - will be profound, as the high data-density substrate used can be put onto virtually every surface.
All commercial aspects relating to the technology are being handled by Mike Downey, Managing Director, Cavendish Management Resources:
CONTACT CMR!
Cavendish Management Resources
Mike Downey, Managing Director
Address: 31 Harley Street, LONDON W1N 1DA, UK
International Tel: 44 171 636 1744. Fax: 44 171 636 5639
UK Telephone: 0171 636 1744. UK Fax: 0171 636 5639
Click here to E-Mail cmr@cmruk.com
keele.ac.uk |
