Korean scientists create transparent memory chip... or so they tell us

Researchers at the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology claim to have created a see-through non-volatile memory chip based on resistive random-access memory (RRAM) technology. Made with transparent oxide film and electrodes on clear glass or plastic circuit boards, the group believes commercial production could begin in 3 to 4 years and could be cheaply manufactured (current backers of RRAM include Fujitsu, Sharp, Samsung and others). They're hopeful the new technology will pave the way for transparent devices such as monitors and televisions. No images of the transparent chip have been published -- but they're not much to look at, anyway.

[Via cellular-news]

[Ebel3003 @ Dec 17th 2008 2:40AM]

Took me a minute to get the image. Funny, though.

Can anyone explain why we're in need of transparent memory?

[PyRo1509 @ Dec 17th 2008 2:49AM]

I liked the image

+1 for them

[Dan @ Dec 17th 2008 3:00AM]

So we pay loads of money for things like this:
http://www.concept-phones.com/cool-concepts/double-glassy-layers-mobile-device-concept-transparent/

[who? @ Dec 17th 2008 3:06AM]

Because micro sd cards are too easy to keep track of...

[oGMo @ Dec 17th 2008 3:08AM]

So we can remember how to make transparent aluminum?

[KarlW @ Dec 17th 2008 4:47AM]

You could cover screens in additional memory, which couuld be used to increase the memory of notebooks and for thinner displays with advanced, memory-hungry image processing.

[N3XuS @ Dec 17th 2008 8:07AM]

Looks promising.

[superhobo @ Dec 17th 2008 9:43AM]

I refreshed once :(

But then, I didn't read it.

[Eric Maldonado @ Dec 17th 2008 11:07AM]

(conceptual comment)










.

[SimbaDogg @ Dec 18th 2008 12:50AM]

after hitting the refresh button a few times, i finally read the article and got the joke...

[holycow @ Dec 17th 2008 2:40AM]

I found the picture quite funny...

[yelohbird @ Dec 17th 2008 6:54AM]

I CALL PHOTOCHOPPED!

[dude @ Dec 17th 2008 2:41AM]

why cant i see it

[topspinserve @ Dec 17th 2008 2:43AM]

That's kind of the point.

[Elijah @ Dec 17th 2008 2:44AM]

Because you're an idiot.

[JAmerican @ Dec 17th 2008 2:56AM]

That's what she said.

[Garst @ Dec 17th 2008 3:22AM]

Because you're not the emperor.

[who? @ Dec 17th 2008 3:29AM]

@Garst

*winces @ the reference*

[Saad Rabia @ Dec 17th 2008 5:53AM]

Because you didn't try hard enough.

[Derbeste @ Dec 17th 2008 11:48AM]

It's like one of those "3D" art pieces. Try crossing your eyes for a few hours.

You can see the chip AND a boat.

[L.M.L.Y.P @ Dec 17th 2008 2:42AM]

hay i see what you did thar!

[XIYL @ Dec 17th 2008 3:30AM]

No you don't.

[Tony @ Dec 17th 2008 2:52AM]

+10 internets to you, Miller.

[Uchiha Sasuke @ Dec 17th 2008 2:53AM]

I'm more impressed with the transparent mobo the ram is hook up to.

[UnixSystemsEngineer @ Dec 17th 2008 2:55AM]

Ross was *way* proud of that joke.

[J @ Dec 17th 2008 2:57AM]

I could see myself putting it down and losing it. ^^

[g0rth0r @ Dec 17th 2008 3:03AM]

What's up with those Koreans, anyway ?

[h0rk_ @ Dec 17th 2008 5:46AM]

TAKE THIS YANKEE SHANKY!

[Pradster @ Dec 17th 2008 3:04AM]

Looks good!

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 17th 2008 3:04AM]

Brilliant. Epic image.
Or lack thereof.

[Wuturea @ Dec 17th 2008 3:05AM]

Wouldn't the joke be more clever if the image was a transparent gif instead of a white jpeg?

[Chris Are @ Dec 17th 2008 3:07AM]

Shh.

[Precurse @ Dec 17th 2008 12:17PM]

Yup.. Except IE6 renders transparent GIFs as grey =P

[SimonRichards @ Dec 17th 2008 6:56PM]

PNG then?

[Kris @ Dec 18th 2008 1:26AM]

@Precurse, actually IE6 renders 24-bit and above transparency in PNGs as Gray. GIF transparency and 8-bit PNG transparency is just fine.

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 17th 2008 3:07AM]

I call photoshop on this one...

[linuxamp @ Dec 17th 2008 6:35AM]

Of course it's photoshopped, they said "conceptual rendering". The real one is smaller and has rounded corners.

[Shawn @ Dec 17th 2008 1:34PM]

seriously, the shadows are all wrong

[Robert @ Dec 17th 2008 4:50PM]

Of course it's photoshopped. However, had they used POV-ray, they could have at least gotten the refraction right.

[why not the LS2LS7? @ Dec 17th 2008 3:10AM]

Every active matrix LCD panel is a huge (physically) memory chip. This is probably just using chip on glass like that.

[digitallysick @ Dec 17th 2008 3:34AM]

No guys i went to korea and i have seen the chip, it looks just like the picture.

[Dhaval Faria @ Dec 17th 2008 3:37AM]

sounds interesting.. I could see its usage in next gen displays :)

conceptual rendering is really interesting :)

[Shunnabunich @ Dec 17th 2008 11:25AM]

Thing is, having a monitor or TV that's transparent would be a pain in the ass, because you'd not only be fighting to see through the Appletastic glare, but fighting to stop yourself from focusing on what's behind the screen. I could see such a display being used for a simpler, more Star-Trek-like interface for something, but not as a main display where you need to distinctly see a wide range of detailed things.

[notKorean @ Dec 17th 2008 3:54AM]

Koreans need more transparent than others.

[Labrador @ Dec 17th 2008 3:59AM]

The picture doesn't load! Engadget is going down the drain fast!

[lordmorgul @ Dec 17th 2008 4:08AM]

The picture is a solid white picture that very clearly (to everyone else?) shows nothing because the product supposedly being (conceptually) shown is TRANSPARENT. You missed the memo and the joke, and fail because you didn't read the comments before posting one.

[ryan @ Dec 17th 2008 4:23AM]

hello, Sarcasm Man? Yes, come quick! This guy needs you!

[thedesolate1 @ Dec 20th 2008 2:14AM]

You must of been affected by the 3 interweb deep sea cables that were cut. I see the whole image.

[Ryan @ Dec 17th 2008 4:05AM]

ISWYDT

[Mikey @ Dec 17th 2008 12:46PM]

?