Cool upcomming strorage technology...

[FlyingPete]

I got stuck in a room most of yesterday working on an RFP with one of our sales guys and a guy from one of our storage suppliers.

Anyway, whilst waiting for something to print or PDF something (this takes time) the storage guy was telling me about a presentation from a storage manufacturer they had a few months ago.

This manufacturer had with them some prototypes of some interesting technology, one was a 12GB version of their Microdrive (and it worked, they were not releasing it yet as there was no demand as of yet), the other was a new card format.

Before you groan etc about yet another card format this one is very clever. It was based on the companies Microdrive, but instead of having a traditional CF or ATA interface, it used a low power wireless connection for data transfer (good for only a few inches), and was powered by induction (like a electric toothbrush). Net result was the unit was completely sealed, no connectors, pins or sockets. In fact you could ‘insert’ it into the reader/camera in any orientation, and it would work just fine.

Now the smart thing to do here would be to use the same size format as CF, and start having support for this technology in CF slots, so you could use either, although I suspect it will cost more for potentially very little real benefit. Still very cool though (mind you so was the Sinclair C5 :rolleyes: ).

[PacAce]

So if this thing is wireless, and I'm assuming what you described in on the receiver end, then where does the transmitter get plugged in? Or does this gizmo just pick up the elctrical energy from the air as it's being generated by the device sending out the data? :confused:

[FlyingPete]

So if this thing is wireless, and I'm assuming what you described in on the receiver end, then where does the transmitter get plugged in? Or does this gizmo just pick up the elctrical energy from the air as it's being generated by the device sending out the data? :confused:

As the comminications are two way, both the card and the card reader/writer have transmitters and recievers.

As for power it almost plucks it out of the air, the reader/writer device generates a AC magnetic field, the card picks that up and converts it back into power, same way a rechargeable electric toothbrush works. Its also exactly how a transformer works, one sides windings produce the field, the other side converts the field back into power, there is no actual electrical connection between them.

[tim]

Interesting. Does the induction interfere with other systems in the camera? Does it affect power consumption or transfer speed? Not having pins to worry about would be great.

[PacAce]

As the comminications are two way, both the card and the card reader/writer have transmitters and recievers.

As for power it almost plucks it out of the air, the reader/writer device generates a AC magnetic field, the card picks that up and converts it back into power, same way a rechargeable electric toothbrush works. Its also exactly how a transformer works, one sides windings produce the field, the other side converts the field back into power, there is no actual electrical connection between them.
Ah, so, we're talking about the perpetual energy machine here, are we? The electrical device generates electrical current as data is moved about the circuit. This movement of current generates an electro-magnetic field around the paths traversed by the electrical current. This magnetic field in turn induces electrical current flow which is harnessed to charge a battery or some other device for store energy, such as a capacitor. Very ingenious! There's only one problem with it. It won't work without an external source to supply extra energy to replenish energy that is lost in the form of heat during conversion from electrical to electro-magnetic and then back to electrical energy.

[FlyingPete]

Interesting. Does the induction interfere with other systems in the camera? Does it affect power consumption or transfer speed? Not having pins to worry about would be great.

The iterference issue was what I thought of at first, but apprantly it isn't an issue. No comments made about transfer speed of battery life. The induciton thing usually has quite bad power losses, not sure about the wireless though.

I think it will mainly be aimed at consumers I think, as they talked about people putting cards in upside down, or all the pin sockets filling with dust from peoples pockets :rolleyes:

[PacAce]

BTW, you still haven't said how the data gets from the camera to the card.

[FlyingPete]

Ah, so, we're talking about the perpetual energy machine here, are we? The electrical device generates electrical current as data is moved about the circuit. This movement of current generates an electro-magnetic field around the paths traversed by the electrical current. This magnetic field in turn induces electrical current flow which is harnessed to charge a battery or some other device for store energy, such as a capacitor. Very ingenious! There's only one problem with it. It won't work without an external source to supply extra energy to replenish energy that is lost during conversion from electrical to electro-magnetic back to electrical energy in the form of heat.

The reader writer will have the power source, unfortunalty not quite a clever as you have described :(

Hey PacAce you are 'Cream of the Crop' now!

[PacAce]

The reader writer will have the power source, unfortunalty not quite a clever as you have described :(

Hey PacAce you are 'Cream of the Crop' now!
Yes, I noticed that this afternoon when I reached 5006. I was hoping to be made Platinum member (after being a Gold member for a while) but I guess I'll have to settle for Cream of the Crop for now. Maybe on my 50,000th post! :)

[FlyingPete]

BTW, you still haven't said how the data gets from the camera to the card.

From the top (I wish I had the pictures to go with this!)

Power: Reader/Writer/Camera device powers small AC electro magnet powered by the Reader/Writer/Cameras power source, generating a small magnetic field. The card has a small coil that current is generated in as a result of the magnetic field, this is used to power the card. This is the induction thingy.

Data Transfer: The Reader/Writer/Camera has a small RF transmitter and reciever powered by the Reader/Writer/Camera power source. THe card also has a small RF transmitter and reciever, but is powered by the induction thingy.

Pleeeeasssssee don't make me re-explain using words or only one sylable ;)

[PacAce]

From the top (I wish I had the pictures to go with this!)

Power: Reader/Writer/Camera device powers small AC electro magnet powered by the Reader/Writer/Cameras power source, generating a small magnetic field. The card has a small coil that current is generated in as a result of the magnetic field, this is used to power the card. This is the induction thingy.

Data Transfer: The Reader/Writer/Camera has a small RF transmitter and reciever powered by the Reader/Writer/Camera power source. THe card also has a small RF transmitter and reciever, but is powered by the induction thingy.

Pleeeeasssssee don't make me re-explain using words or only one sylable ;)
OK, I get it now. This is supposed to be a new card format and will require the buy-in of the camera and other device manufacturers to make the card work. OK, it makes sense now. I initially thought that maybe we would be able to use it in our current cameras in place of the CF card.

And,yes , simpler explanations in one syllable words would really make things much clearer for slow people like myself and much appreciated. ;)

[FlyingPete]

OK, I get it now. This is supposed to be a new card format and will require the buy-in of the camera and other device manufacturers to make the card work. OK, it makes sense now. I initially thought that maybe we would be able to use it in our current cameras in place of the CF card.

And,yes , simpler explanations in one syllable words would really make things much clearer for slow people like myself and much appreciated. ;)

Right now I see where you are comming from :o

It should be possible to put support for this format in an existing slot, as no physical connections are required, whether they do that or not is yet to be determined, that will be a marketing descision.

There were some nice attempts, essecialy by BlooDog on my Aperture explaination using words of one sylable challenge! Don't think we need to go there again though. ;)