Micro-holographic

GE just announced the development of a new optical storage technology – micro-holographic discs. These discs will be able to read and record on systems similar to a DVD player, but can support 500 gigabytes of storage (!!) in a standard DVD-size disc. Think about it…that's like 20 Blu-ray discs, 100 DVDs or the hard drive for a large desktop computer!

What is a holographic disc and how is holographic storage different? DVDs and Blu-ray discs store information only on the surface of the disc; holographic storage technology uses the entire volume of the disc material. Holograms (or three-dimensional patterns) are written into the disc and can then be read. GE says that the hardware and formats are so similar to current optical storage technology that the micro-holographic players will be able to play back CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

"GE's breakthrough is a huge step toward bringing our next generation holographic storage technology to the everyday consumer," said Brian Lawrence, who leads GE's Holographic Storage program. "Because GE's micro-holographic discs could essentially be read and played using similar optics to those found in standard Blu-ray players, our technology will pave the way for cost-effective, robust and reliable holographic drives that could be in every home. 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."

For more information on Holographic storage visit GE Global Research at www.ge.com/research.