For Additional Information:
Dr. Greg Nordin, (205) 890-6215 x 410
[email protected]
Phillip Gentry, (205) 890-6414
[email protected]
Star Trek technology comes to Earth
Technology transfer may have found its way from "Star Trek's" starship
Enterprise to Earth. Many Star Trek fans are familiar with clear "data
cubes" frequently seen on the television program and used by the crew to
access information.
A researcher at The University of Alabama in Huntsville believes the
Enterprise's technology isn't so futuristic. By using holographic
technology a similar data storage device could hold a tremendous amount
of data and provide rapid access.
The National Science Foundation recently awarded a four-year, $210,000
career development award to Dr. Greg Nordin, an assistant professor of
electrical and computer engineering, to explore the idea. Nordin believes
a working model can be produced in as little as two years.
"With the right materials we can create a holographic data storage system
that would be a few cubic centimeters," he said. "What this offers is a
potential for high storage capacities and the advantage of rapid readout."
Nordin plans to use a holographic photopolymer developed by DuPont. The
organic material offers new possibilities when compared to other optical
materials, such as lithium niobate.
The most promising applications are for the computer and entertainment
industries. Video on demand from your home could be possible because of
the large storage capacity and the ability to quickly access the data.
These materials have the ability to store many holograms in a cube. For
instance, each hologram might store as much as one million bits of data.
The research has attracted commercial interest. IBM's Alamedan Research
Center is involved in Nordin's research and will test the system. A
second company, Holoplex Inc., has developed a holographic data storage
product, but is interested in Nordin's work with these new materials.
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