Researchers crafting hybrid material to hasten computing processes

There's been no shortage of fantasmical ideas to speed up our everyday computers, but a team of researchers from a variety of universities are working to do just that not by encouraging gamers to slap NOS stickers on their cases, but by combining magnetic and semiconductor components. Respectively, each of the aforesaid parts handle memory and logic functions, but this team is purporting that processes could be completed quicker and in a more power efficient manner if a hybrid material -- which combined both functions -- were created. The team has already received a $6.5 million grant from the Department of Defense with the overriding goal being to "explore new ways to integrate magnetism and magnetic materials with emerging electronic materials such as organic semiconductors," and while it's suggested that these so-called hybrid devices would be fairly inexpensive to produce in the future, it's too early to determine how close we are to seeing any breakthroughs slip out to consumerland.

[Via Gearlog, image courtesy of University of Missouri]

[James @ Apr 7th 2008 8:38AM]

Observe - The hybrid material scientist in his natural habitat.

[Tim Brown @ Apr 7th 2008 9:54AM]

Looks like they Photoshopped the pizza and caffeine drip out

[Crazylink @ Apr 7th 2008 9:36AM]

IT'S SYNERGY, YO!

[Duke 2 @ Apr 7th 2008 10:12AM]

What Mr Prodigy really needs to do is figure out a way of harnessing that static electric charge which has clearly built up in his hair as a result of all that corduroy he's wearing rubbing together.

[babydill @ Apr 7th 2008 10:50AM]

I want my blue Jel Packs from Star Trek Voyager. It might catch a cold and die though. :(

[meike @ Apr 7th 2008 12:11PM]

damn i knew i should have gone to mizzou!

[Earl Jr. @ Apr 7th 2008 1:30PM]

Harry Potter is a materials scientist?

[krizoitz @ Apr 7th 2008 2:27PM]

Dang it, you beat me to it! :)

Seriously, photoshop in the scar and its the boy (man?) who lived

[phanbouy @ Apr 7th 2008 1:47PM]

place chalk dust inhalation warning here

[David @ Apr 7th 2008 2:27PM]

Whats in that chalk.... Damn..

[Jeffrey @ Apr 8th 2008 3:58AM]

Vague.

It has been my experience that the more vague and elusive the specifics are, the less likely we are to see practical applications in the near future.

Yes, dazzle me with "time-dependent, spin-current density functional theory" but I'd be more impressed with real-world estimates of power consumptions, access speeds and processing times.