|
For more than half a century, digital electronic devices have been based on a binary paradigm -- that is, electronic switching of a signal either 'on' (1) or 'off' (0). Everything we know about computing is based on this simple concept. Now that's about to change. As first reported this week by our own John Lister, scientists at Hewlett-Packard's Information and Quantum Systems Lab have discovered a new type of electrical resistor: one that has memory properties. The so-called "memristor" exploits the curious memory-like properties of a thin coat of titanium dioxide when a current is passed through it. Unlike conventional componentry however, the 'memory' remains after the current has been removed. Moreover, the device can memorize a 1 or a 0 or any intermediate value in between, making it behave much more like the synapses in nerves in organic life forms. This opens up an entirely new range of applications including an entirely new spectrum of artificial intelligence applications. (Source: nytimes.com)
Electronic theory has long been focused on three basic elemental components: the resistor (that resists current), the capacitor (that stores current), and inductors (that absorb or pass current). As early as 1971, the memristor, a fourth element with properties different than the conventional three, was predicted on the basis of some unexplained electronic behavior. The HP research group entitled their announcement as "The Missing Memristor Found." But what does this really mean for science and technology? The benefits of the new device are many. Because it does not require power to maintain its memory, it opens up the possibilities of very fast computing devices which consume far less power. The ability to store intermediate values, however, could also pave the way to a completely different class of computing capabilities including those that are biological in nature such as visual and voice recognition. (Source: physorg.com) Or the effect could be much, much more. In 1947, when William Shockley's team demonstrated the first transistor, they had no possibility of understanding the impact it would have on the world. Suppose the memristor were to have the equivalent effect?
-- Related newsletter articles:
2007/05/24 Gaming and the Elderly: Will Today's Gamers Close the Gap? (electronic)
2006/01/22 BOINCing around (computing)
2008/05/06 New HP Circuit Could Change Technology Forever (memristor)
2008/04/30 Selling Tea in India the Electronic Way (electronic)
2007/11/27 New Intel Chips Make PC Hi-Def a Viable Alternative To HDTV (computing)
2008/03/17 Hacking Ain't So 'Heartless' Anymore (electronic)
2007/08/22 Can Sony Save the Environment? (electronic)
2008/02/29 The Return of the Mainframe? (computing)
2007/09/06 Microsoft Hoping To "Cloud" The Competition (computing)
2008/04/28 Control Electronic Devices from a Single Computer (electronic)
-- Recent articles (from all channels): 2008/05/15 Today in History: for Thursday, May 15, 2008
2008/05/15 [ShellX 20080515]: 'Commercial Games Released As Freeware', and '
2008/05/15 Outside Company Offers Smarter Wikipedia Searches
2008/05/15 Microsoft-Google Battle Goes Galactic
2008/05/15 Find it Over and Over Again in MS Word
2008/05/15 Hackers Find A New Hiding Place for Rootkits
2008/05/14 [ShellX 20080514]: 'Blend', and 'Dexpose2'
2008/05/14 Windows XP Service Pack 3 Gives Boot to HP, AMD Machines
2008/05/14 Stephen Colbert Among 'Webby' Winners
2008/05/14 Irony Strikes At Tech Conference
2008/05/14 Getting Closure in MS Outlook
2008/05/13 [ShellX 20080513]: 'Drive Spacio', and 'Youtube Batch Downloader'
2008/05/13 Congressman Calls For Second Life Ban In Schools
2008/05/13 Trying to Exit MS Excel 2007
2008/05/13 Problems Reported With Windows XP SP3
2008/05/12 [ShellX 20080512]: 'Remote Manager', and 'Cyber Bandwidth ...
2008/05/12 Video Gaming Trade Group Struggling
2008/05/12 T-Mobile Finally Joins 3G Phone Race
2008/05/12 Apple Slammed by Environment Watchdog
2008/05/09 [ShellX 20080509]: 'Advanced Run', and 'Diver Windows Manager'
2008/05/09 Texas Refuses Facebook Friend Request
2008/05/09 Photo-Enforcement Technology Replaces Officers On Patrol
2008/05/09 Cuban Government Says 'Ok Computer'
2008/05/09 Excel Can E-Mail Your Weekly Reports For You!
2008/05/08 [ShellX 20080508]: 'Shell Enhancer', and 'Lansweeper'
2008/05/08 Xobni: MS Outlook Social Networking Technology for your Inbox
2008/05/08 Music Companies Jump on GTA IV Bandwagon
2008/05/08 Fascinating: Memristor to replace Binary
2008/05/08 Adobe Hopes To Make Flash Master Of The (Mobile) Universe
2008/05/08 Spiffy Envelopes and Labels in MS Word
2008/05/07 [ShellX 20080507]: 'Winbin2iso', and 'Loop Typer'
|
