General Electric has figured out a way to stuff 500GB worth of data into a single DVD-sized disc. The technology is called micro-holographic storage, and it uses the entire volume of the disc material, unlike DVDs and Blu-ray discs which use only the surface of the material.
GE’s micro-holographic disc uses holograms; three-dimensional patterns that represent bits of information, are written into the disc and can then be read out. GE Global Research’s Brian Lawrence, pictured above, explains that with holographic storage, “we’re going to use light to create chemical changes in the disc that give us reflected patterns.â€
Although GE’s holographic storage technology represents a breakthrough in capacity, the hardware and formats are so similar to current optical storage technology that the micro-holographic players will enable consumers to play back their CDs, DVDs and BDs.
GE initially will be focusing on the commercial archival industry first, followed by the consumer market for its micro-holographic storage technology.
[Site: GE Reports at YouTube]