The Future of Data Storage Lies in DNA Microcapsules

 The Future of Data Storage Lies in DNA Microcapsules

By Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands), May 5, 2023

Microcapsules with fluorescent labels.

A DNA file can be stored much more compactly, and the lifespan of the data is also many times longer. But perhaps most importantly, this new technology renders large, energy-guzzling datacenters obsolete.

An international team of researchers has added scalability to synthetic DNA data storage via a new polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique.

Tom de Greef at the Netherlands' Eindhoven University of Technology led the team's development of protein-polymer microcapsules that self-seal above 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), enabling PCR to occur separately in each capsule. This "thermo-confined PCR" method reads 25 DNA data files simultaneously without major errors.  Reducing the temperature again causes the copies to detach from the capsule while keeping the anchored original file, preserving the original's quality.

Assigning a fluorescent label to each file and a unique color to each capsule also eases data-library searches, which could enable a future system in which a robotic arm selects and reads specific files from a pool of capsules.

From Eindhoven University of Technology (Netherlands)

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GigaOM re File Storage to Scale

A project led me to this, saving it for later use.   Scaling should always be in your mind for problems.  Not that some projects are not one-off for tests, but it is also useful to think about scaling as well   A corporate project I did came back to me many years later, and we had to scurry to make it right.   In the final report you can make it clear how you have considered future conditions

Key Criteria for Evaluating Scale-Out File Storage v1.0
An Evaluation Guide for Technology Decision Makers    By Enrico Signoretti

Summary
File storage is one of the most popular ways to store data, both on premises and in the cloud, and scale-out file storage is becoming the default choice for most organizations because of its ability to expand quickly while increasing throughput. There are other reasons for the success of scale-out file storage:

Object storage is rising in popularity but file systems, often accessed via network protocols like NFS and SMB, are still the data storage system of choice for a large number of workloads, including big data analytics, artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML), high-performance computing (HPC), and more.

Modern file systems are much more scalable than in the past, providing a familiar user interface and authentication methods with performance and scalability.

Legacy applications are usually written to work with POSIX-compliant file systems and multiple applications accessing the same data sets are quite common. Rewriting these old applications to take advantage of object stores is not always a viable option, so many end users keep investing in file storage. .... "   (Much more at the link) ... '

DNA Based Archival Storage

Seems a strange idea, but its a look at forms of data, like DNA and the needs for computing.  A form of biomimicry.

$25M Project Will Advance DNA-Based Archival Data Storage
Georgia Tech Research Horizons
By John Toon
January 16, 2020

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) will co-develop exabyte-scalable DNA-based molecular data storage using a $25-million grant from the U.S. Defense Department’s Intelligence Advanced Research Projects Activity (IARPA) Molecular Information Storage program. The objective is to substantially shrink the size, weight, and power requirements for archival data storage through the proposed Scalable Molecular Archival Software and Hardware project. Biotechnology developer Twist Bioscience will develop a silicon-based DNA synthesis platform that "writes" data-carrying DNA strands, for which Roswell Biotechnologies will develop molecular electronic DNA reader chips. The University of Washington and Microsoft will provide system architecture, data analysis, and coding expertise, with GTRI overseeing fabrication.  ... " 

How to Store Information in Your Clothes

Quite remarkable idea, ready to test this out before buying more storage devices.

How to Store Information in Your Clothes Invisibly, Without Electronics
By University of Washington 

A new type of smart fabric developed at the University of Washington could pave the way for jackets that store invisible passcodes and open the door to your apartment or office.

The UW computer scientists have created fabrics and fashion accessories that can store data — from security codes to identification tags — without needing any on-board electronics or sensors.

As described in "Data Storage and Interaction Using Magnetized Fabric," presented at UIST 2017, the ACM Symposium on User Interface Software and Technology, the researchers leveraged previously unexplored magnetic properties of off-the-shelf conductive thread. The data can be read using an instrument embedded in existing smartphones to enable navigation apps.

"This is a completely electronic-free design, which means you can iron the smart fabric or put it in the washer and dryer," says senior author Shyam Gollakota, associate professor in the Paul G. Allen School of Computer Science & Engineering. "You can think of the fabric as a hard disk — you're actually doing this data storage on the clothes you're wearing."     ..... "