Innovations: New device to increase storage space in electronics devices

The idea

Tired of deleting files from your smartphones or MP3s just because you don't have the space to keep it all in? Now you don't have to! According to BBC News, Scottish researchers have recently created a device that could help increasing storage space in various electronic devices like cameras, smartphones, and MP3s. The novel device uses a tiny mechanical arm, which translates data into electrical signals, thereby allowing faster operation and less energy-consumption. This technology will be specially appealing to music lovers, photographers and tech savvy people.

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Brainchild

The masterminds behind this innovative creation are researchers from the Edinburgh University who worked in collaboration with Konkuk University and Seoul National University, Korea.

Factbox

1) Improves storage space in electronic devices like smartphones, MP3s, and cameras.

2) A tiny mechanical arm is used to translate data into electrical signals.

3) Faster operation and less energy-consumption.

4) Faster switch-on and off facility, unavailable in conventional devices.

The making

Scientists have been working on this idea for a long time, using carbon nanotube transistors. But, slow operation time and short memory retention remained the stumble blocks. These obstacles were overcome by using a mechanical arm to charge the electrodes. The device records data by measuring the current passing through a carbon nanotube; the binary value of the data is determined by an electrode controlling the flow of current.

What's new and refreshing

Faster operation and better switch-on and off for applications than other conventional products.

Applications

Helps keep better storage space in various electronic devices like MP3, cameras, and smartphones.

Quotes

Eleanor Campbell, professor at Edinburgh University said:

This is a novel approach to designing memory storage devices. With this device you have much faster switching on and off which you do not have with conventional memory storage devices.

Via: BBC News