HP's very tiny wireless chip dubbed Memory Spot

So we've seen how cramming an incredible amount of information onto a small strip (ahem, RFID) is changing logistics and data processing functions, but the brains at HP have created something a bit more substantive. Cleverly named Memory Spot, their new wireless chip is the size of a grain of rice and can hold between 256k and 4MB of data (depending on its corresponding physical size); the Spot can disseminate information at 10Mbps to any reader-equipped device, such as a cell phone, notebook, or PDA. So what's the need for yet another fancy microtransmitter system? Well, it's the inherent storage capacity that makes the microscopic technology stand out over today's more familiar NFC technologies; HP seems to believe that Memory Spots can be used in storing medical records on patient's wristbands, adding audio clips to paintings, security passes, etc., eerily encouraging your imagination to go wild. (Just think of the dirt you could get on your mobile screen passing a bus-load of tagged inmates, yikes.) Howard Taub, VP of HP Labs, stated that these would go for 10-50 cents a piece when they're released commercially in a couple years, after which we're sure they'll immediately be put to good use within HP's management team.

[Mike @ Jul 17th 2006 10:19PM]

I can see the publicity stunt now, a million of these staggered in a line across the united states. The first pulses and sends the signal to the next all the way from coast to coast.

[Leroy @ Jul 17th 2006 10:31PM]

the word inherent, and inherit are not the same.
In the article, the word inherent should have been used

[mr friggles @ Jul 17th 2006 10:56PM]

Me too.. and then the commercial says: "we can fit them your brains now"

*cuts to fat evil republican grinning*

*cuts back to program*

[Phil @ Jul 18th 2006 1:03AM]

Correction

It's between 256Kb and 4Mb - not 4MB.

[Ransom @ Jul 18th 2006 1:39AM]

Once we get these small enough, we can finally start tracking individual blood cells.

One of these would be perfect for locating those ever-evasive car keys.

[Michael @ Jul 18th 2006 2:32AM]

How can you store audio in less than 4Mb? But if true then 4MB sounds mighty big for a tiny thing like that.

[B$ @ Jul 18th 2006 2:43AM]

So, what up with all the creepy "Cryo-Kennel" ads? Is that for real? And that title...oh, man! "Frozen Pets Make for Cool Vacations." These ads have to be from The Onion.

If it comes down to creepy mental pictures of frozen lap dogs in pens that look like they were taken from the set of "The Fly", or Seizure-inducing Blu Ray ads, I think I'm gonna go with the seizure.

Am I alone on this one?

[Joseph Williams @ Jul 18th 2006 2:47AM]

Always an interesting read. Keep up the good work!

[j annis @ Jul 18th 2006 4:03AM]

How would you prevent overwriting of the dots used in the prevention of fakes ?

[Vlada Janececk @ Jul 18th 2006 5:24AM]

MemorySpot in use you can see in this my video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uXJU9TubHRo

and all memoryspot videos in this playlist

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=00D1DF2026CE2B86

[riggs @ Jul 18th 2006 5:33AM]

@B$
its an ad for a show called EUReKA on the sci-fi channel.

[B $ @ Jul 18th 2006 6:11AM]

>its an ad for a show called EUReKA on the sci-fi channel.

Ha! Is it really? No kidding. Well, thats a relief. Sorry, I havent lived in the US for 4 years and it certainly shows, huh. Well, thanks for the info and that will be all from this section of the Peanut Gallery.

Guess I should go home more often, huh?

B$

[Liam Billington @ Jul 18th 2006 7:48AM]

Oh 10Mbs sounds good, put this in a Micro SD card with more memory please HP and make it compliant with a wireless router!

Although I don't this will ever be released unfortunately :(

[RacetrackOwner @ Jul 18th 2006 8:15AM]

At least the "fat evil Republican" can likely formulate a complete sentence, even while excitedly whacking out a childish diatribe against some vaguely imagined threat.

4Mb @ 10Mbps ... so basically it can blast out 500KB in about half a second.

You'll need a pretty cleverly austere format if you're going to get any significant medical history into 500KB (X-rays, doctor's notes, test data, etc... I'm making the assumption that people with a significant medical history are more likely to want to tote that stuff around in a wristband or whatever, compared to the relatively healthy, with the concomitant short medical history).

And... audio recordings for PAINTINGS? WTF? Is that so Engadget doesn't get sued for directly hijacking El Reg's musings about audio for photos, which certainly makes a lot more sense. Particularly considering HP seems to focus as much heavily on photography as they do on printers, these days.

[JH @ Jul 18th 2006 8:19AM]

>Just think of the dirt you could get on your mobile screen passing a bus-load of tagged inmates, yikes.

Umm, no. This device is reported (not in this article, though) to have a much shorter range than RFID. Good for security, a little worse for mobility. You will have to get it close (just how close exactly, I couldn't find out, but in the magnitude of centimeters) to the reader/writer.

[PeteC @ Jul 18th 2006 8:55AM]

Ha ha so now the ipod flea could become a reality! One song, so tiny you can swallow it if someone tries to mug you!

[Cwatters @ Jul 18th 2006 9:05AM]

>And... audio recordings for PAINTINGS? WTF? Is that
>so Engadget doesn't get sued for directly hijacking
>El Reg's musings about audio for photos, which
>certainly makes a lot more sense. Particularly
>considering HP seems to focus as much heavily on
>photography as they do on printers, these days.

Many museums have audio players for self-guided tours, but the tours assume you're following a set path and timing. With this type of technology, the audio notes could be embedded near the work, and when you move within distance with your receiver, the audio track is received and played.

[Marshall @ Jul 18th 2006 12:19PM]

What is the range of the wireless though? For things like medical records it seems like it would be easier to have a device with a standard connector and use the room on the device currently taken by antennas, etc. for more storage. If the reader has to be 4 inches from the device anyway, what difference does it make?

[srw985 @ Jul 18th 2006 3:21PM]

if its 4Mb not MB and can send at 10Mbps thats weird.