Picture a single disc large enough to store your entire DVD collection. GE Global Research has done just that with its latest breakthrough that can put 500 Gigabytes of storage capacity in a standard DVD-size disc.
GE researchers said Monday that by using a micro-holographic storage material they can create capacity of 20 single-layer Blu-ray discs or 100 DVDs in a standard disc. GE’s micro-holographic discs will also be able to read and record on systems similar to a typical Blu-ray or DVD player.
“Our technology will pave the way for cost-effective, robust and reliable holographic drives that could be in every home,” said Brian Lawrence who leads GE’s holographic storage program in a statement. “The day when you can store your entire high definition movie collection on one disc and support high resolution formats like 3-D television is closer than you think.”
Holographic storage differ from current optical storage technologies in that it uses the entire volume of the disc material. DVDs and Blu-ray discs store information only on the surface of the disc.
In case of holographic storage, three-dimensional patterns are written into the disc and can be read out. Micro-holographic players using GE’s technology can play back CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray disc.
GE has been working on the technology for about six years, said the company. For now it is still in the labs but the GE has plans to commercialize it. It will initially focus on the commercial archival industry for the technology and then offer it to consumers.
See also:
GE Press Release
[via The New York Times]
Photo: Overlapping blue lasers record holograms in a GE disc/GE
