Nanowire-based memory promises leap in storage capacity

Nanowires being used for memory is hardly a new idea, but a group of researchers at the University of Pennsylvania seem confident that they've found a way to leapfrog the competition, and shake up storage devices as we know them. Unlike other nanowire-based memory methods, their system employs a non-binary form of nanowire memory, which makes it possible to store three bit values (0, 1, and 2) instead of the usual two (0 and 1) -- crazy talk, we know. That, the researchers say, allows for a "huge increase" in memory density, with fewer nanowires needed to store the same amount of information as a binary nanowire-based memory system, which'd also make the actual devices smaller. Of course, that's assuming any of this stuff actually gets out of the lab, which seems to be a long ways off at best.

[Thanks, Dwight]

[Abhishek @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:47AM]

Lol....penis

[Seth @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:52AM]

dude, if that's what your penis looks like...

[Khris @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:57AM]

If your penis looks like that, I suggest medical attention quickly!

[sinai @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:03PM]

CONGRATULATIONS! You passed the homosexual rorschach test!

[Findeh @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:05PM]

At least there's nothing to be jealous of, it's a *nano*wire after all, the ladies will not be impressed.

[initialxy @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:36PM]

from the diagram, it's about... 600nm. have fun with that.

[Churma @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:47AM]

It looks like porno Nanowire!

=P

[Matt @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:49AM]

Well, it's about time. My existing memory was getting jealous of my very own huge increases from my viagra stash.

[Shinigami @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:50AM]

Will be great if those 3-digits processors ever become commercialized. Or, more likely, if anyone dares to write an OS and create a programming language for 3-digits processing units...

In 3 words - not gonna happen xD

[wrabbit @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:06PM]

Chances are, instead of trying to convert to a trinary (?) system, they'll just use 3rd state from 2 wires, as two states for an extra bit as it were - does that make any sense? :)

[BratPAQ @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:40PM]

@wrabbit - it makes sense, its like having another layer of digits, doubling the capacity of same size binary nanowires

@shinigami, maybe it doesnt need a new everything (os, language, processor) since its a storage device, maybe all it need is an adaptor that do the converting from trinary to binary and vice versa, like how we convert binary to decimal and vice versa, like an IDE to SATA converter, maybe it can be called IDE to nonawires, or SATA to nanowires.

[Kyakko @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:00PM]

that wouldn't be possible since one tri-"bit" can't be in two states at once.

[erislover @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:35PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Setun

[Jeff @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:51AM]

I swear this is NSFW

[hemmy @ Jul 3rd 2008 11:59AM]

nano-penis.

[wrabbit @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:04PM]

Good thing I'm not the only one seeing a penis here, I thought maybe something was wrong with me.

Anyway, so I guess the three bit values would be - soft, hard and hidden? :D

[Ryan @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:39PM]

There is something wrong with you if thats what you think a penis looks like...

[Benson @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:43PM]

There is something wrong with you.
But you are in a lot of (I won't say good) company!

[N30 G30 @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:07PM]

three bit values?

Not going to fly. Everything is binary in a computer. switching everything to trinary is too much work.

[Ricardo @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:10PM]

Binary processor binary memory. So yes, trinary memory is viable.

[Danakin @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:21PM]

this is how quantum computers are going to be so powerful in the future...

"...Quantum computers aren't limited to two states; they encode information as quantum bits, or qubits, which can exist in superposition.
A 30-qubit quantum computer would equal the processing power of a conventional computer that could run at 10 teraflops"

Holy sh*t!

[triforceOFcourage @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:55PM]

@Danakin

To begin with, computers were analog, meaning they technically had infinite states (except the machines themselves weren't accurate enough to measure voltage that precisely).

[Fingal @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:10PM]

Bender: I thought i saw a Two!
Fry: There, there, it's ok, there's no such thing as two..

[Stiv @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:30PM]

Bender: To quote the prophet Jerematic: 1000101010101...011010011101 2.

[waterboy99troop @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:33PM]

dang it, you beat me to it... still funny, nevertheless...

[triforceOFcourage @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:33PM]

LOL @ Fingal

Anyway, wouldn't the benefit come from being able to remember 4 numbers; 0, 1, 2 and 3? i.e. instead of being able to save one bit, (0 or 1) you can save two in the same area (00, 01, 10, 11)? I don't see how going to a trinary system is possible, or economically feasible.

[Shinigami @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:45PM]

Ever heard of "Reply" button?

[triforceOFcourage @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:00PM]

Aside from the "lol" no part of my statement was a reply. Exactly why would I reply to someone's comment if my comment was wholly unrelated? You must be one of those kids who replies to someone just so your comment stays near the top of the page, though your comment has nothing to do with what you replied to.

Ever heard of "staying on topic"?

[Mam00th @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:27PM]

Well here's a simple way to do it.

0 = 00
1 = 01
2 = 10
10 = 11
11 = 100
12 = 101
100 = 110

I'm sure there are more efficient ways though

[Dillon @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:43PM]

Three states makes perfect sense: Yes, No, and Maybe

[James @ Jul 3rd 2008 12:38PM]

I've always told that my pen's would store 60 petabytes of movies and nobody believed me... Here you go non-believers...

[Kyakko @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:04PM]

i wonder why my first reply didn't show. sorry if there's a double post.

wrabbit. that is not possible because each "bit" only can be in one state at a time. either "1,2,3" so you can't spit up the state the bit is going to be in. hope that makes sense.

[wrabbit @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:15PM]

You're right, I didn't consider that.

Oh and sometimes you gotta refresh the page b4 your reply shows up - I think Engadget is using a 1998 comment system (probably MS-DOS based and 16-bit at that) :D

[OX4 @ Jul 3rd 2008 1:44PM]

BAH! nano-this nano-that....when is any of this nano-stuff every going to make it to the market? I think it's all a scam by the Illuminati.

[Simon @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:03PM]

Until there is a CPU that can handle trinary, it will only make sense to use it for long terme storage.
To use it as RAM it will be too slow until it's native.

[BratPAQ @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:12PM]

@Kyakko - how about a formula? we have a formula right to convert binary to octal to hex to decimal, to any base. we have that subject during college, converting from one number system to another, any base is possible, although i can hardly remember how.

[Jesse @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:14PM]

Is this a joke? "Huge Increase" and "LONG ways off". I think there is some penis humor here....

[BratPAQ @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:15PM]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ternary_numeral_system

[JAY JAY @ Jul 3rd 2008 2:50PM]

Another Step Towards Matrix Code...

[Kimbo Slice @ Jul 3rd 2008 4:05PM]

HAHA The only reason I clicked on the comments page is to see if anybody was thinking what I was thinking and sure enough everybody is. Not one single comment about the actual item.

[numbsock @ Jul 4th 2008 3:10AM]

which item? the penis one? :D