• fiat_lux
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    1098 months ago

    Ceramic storage, I love it. We’ve looped all the way back around to reimplementing cuneiform tablets, just on a microscopic level.

    I look forward to storing the complaints about the quality of my copper deliveries on them.

    Yours faithfully,
    Ea-nāṣir.

  • @[email protected]
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    338 months ago

    Initially, there will be no need for particle beams/electron microscopy

    It sounds like this might never be viable in the consumer space. Pity. The world is more cloud-centered than I’d like as it is. I want 1PB in my pocket!

    • LazaroFilm
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      378 months ago

      This also sounds like permanent write memory with real only after that. No re-write.

      • @[email protected]
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        228 months ago

        Yes, the CeraByte web site is suspiciously devoid of any mention of rewrite-ability (or lack thereof). They just mention reading and writing. https://www.cerabyte.com/how-it-works/

        More questions than answers, looking through their web site.

        After a few minutes of duckduckgoing it, it looks like they are a new company still in the funding phase. They are due to present at the Storage Developer Conference later this month, but I’m not sure they actually have a product yet. https://storagedeveloper.org/events/agenda/session/527

        In the abstract they focus on cold storage, but also mention “the ability to fully recycle the media”.

        • @SandLight
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          8 months ago

          That’s not nothing though. Use cases like YouTube or archival work absolutely had a use case for read only

          • @[email protected]
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            48 months ago

            For sure. Also, if the density is sufficiently high compared to alternatives, it could be objectively better anyway. For instance, a typical SSD is rated for less than 1000 full write cycles. So if I have a write-once media with more than 1000 times the space, I’ll be able to write more to it even in the worst-case scenario.

            • @SandLight
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              28 months ago

              Huh, pair that with some quality memory for indexing and it would be a pretty good home backup device

              • LazaroFilm
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                38 months ago

                All you need is an electron beam microscope. Simple home setup. I don’t see this coming to home users in the near and semi- near future.

          • LazaroFilm
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            28 months ago

            In the film industry, long term storage of digital films is a real issue. Disney still creates a technicolor (3strip) copy of their films as digital data isn’t as reliable as good old silver emulation.

          • @BURN
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            18 months ago

            Depending on necessary speed, Tape Drives fit that use case pretty well. This feels like it could be a slight improvement on that format, but it’ll entirely depend on density

      • @BURN
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        68 months ago

        It makes sense from a layman’s perspective on why it can’t be rewritten, but this is really just a single write storage mechanism. May be really good for archival data, but anything that needs active use is probably far from feasible

    • @Master
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      78 months ago

      They said the same thong about ssds for mass storage. Granted this tech is dramatically different. But we went from coffee table sized laser disks in the 90s to psp disc’s in the 2000s. That’s like a 1:100 size reduction and at a 1000 x data storage rate. Who knows what the future stores.

  • @qooqie
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    238 months ago

    Ah yes, let me just boot up my electron microscope in my computer to be able to utilize this tech

    • @Khanzarate
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      248 months ago

      Well this is a data center oriented tech, anyway, and the current implementation doesn’t need that.

      • The Snark Urge
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        98 months ago

        When AI start making videos in earnest, every storage media on Earth is going to clench its little butthole in fear.

        • blazera
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          28 months ago

          The problem to solve there is stopping the videos, not making room for them.

          • The Snark Urge
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            28 months ago

            I don’t disagree in principle, but you’re talking about teaching tech to stop “moving fast and breaking things”

  • @A_A
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    158 months ago

    Data reading can be done with equipment using high-resolution microscopic imaging techniques or electron beam microscopy.

    They do not say how to write this tape and to read it you need an extraordinarily costly device at extraordinarily slow rate 🤨.

    • LazaroFilm
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      158 months ago

      Write with laser or particle beam. Read with microscope or electron microscope.

      Read will be taking a snapshot of the area with the electron beam so it will depend on the speed of said microscope. The idea isn’t for ultra fast write and read access. It’s long term storage with low volume. Currently they’re using tape for long term storage but the longevity is likely less than that of ceramic.

  • @BloodSlut
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    118 months ago

    I wonder how this compares to Microsoft’s Project Silica. It seems like it is much more dense in terms of data storage, but it also sounds like the data is etched into the surface of the ceramic vs Silica’s data being stored within the glass. Obviously still miles more durable than most modern data storage methods.

  • AutoTL;DRB
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    108 months ago

    This is the best summary I could come up with:


    According to the startup, these new formats are poised to address density, performance, and access paradigms, as well as the cost and sustainability demands of datacenters.

    Here, for the first time, it will detail how it will introduce CeraMemory with inorganic nanolayers, using 50-100 atoms thick ceramics to store information.

    Data reading can be done with equipment using high-resolution microscopic imaging techniques or electron beam microscopy.

    Another seemingly excellent inherent property of ceramic storage is the touted media durability and longevity.

    Additionally, it is boasted that CeraMemory is resistant to corrosive, acidic, radioactive environments and EMP disruption.

    Its presentation at the 2023 Storage Developer Conference, which takes place between September 18 and 21, looks set to be one to watch.


    The original article contains 475 words, the summary contains 120 words. Saved 75%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!

    • sebinspace
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      28 months ago

      I’ll wait until it’s on sale.

  • @DarienGS
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    58 months ago

    Oh jeez, that’s me.

  • PatFusty
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    58 months ago

    Without knowing anything my guess is they are making layers of some graphene sheets with vapor deposition coating and making a roll or a sandwhich of that. I would imagine it will be extremely expensive.