- Ribbon-based holographic tape of startup promises 200TB per LTO cartridge
- Tech uses polymer film and $ 5 laser to write optical vaxals
- Any upstream integrates in LTO system with software or hardware change
UK Startup Holomem LTO is developing a holographic storage system for the purpose of replacing or complementing tape.
The company founded by former Dyson Engineer Charlie Gayle uses polymer ribbon cartridges written with $ 5 laser diode. Each 100-meter cartridge can store up to 200TB in a right-one time, reed-mini format.
Cartridges match LTO dimensions and work in the existing tape library without changes in upstream software. Drop-in serves as shelves, allowing libraries to work in a hybrid LTO and Holomem setup.
Ho1o
The idea began in Dyson, where Gayle helped creating a holographic label system called HO1O. It embeddes several QR codes in a hologram, readable from various angles or light sources.
“What we originally did in HO1O for prototype, was to use a light-sensitive polymer material that you had exposed for laser lights … This polymer locks changes and maintains that image,” Gayle said. Blocks and files,
This concept developed in multi-layer data storage using similar materials.
Unlike other optical approaches to use glass or ceramic, Holomem writes data in a polymer film as holograffi voxels. A 16-micron thick polymer sheet is used in the film, which contains laminate between PET layers, which features a 120-mucron ribbon.
Prototype Holodrive writes and reads Hologram using a 3D-print lens and a digital microer device.
“We are writing data pages of thousands of bits,” Gayle said. Thruput is not disclosed, although it is reportedly operated at LTO-9 speed. The drive uses £ 30 circuit board and modified LTO mechanics.
Holomem has received £ 900,000 in the UK Innovation Grant and is partnered with Techre and Qstar for field trials and integration testing. It keeps patent for optical engine, media design and volumetric storage method.
Blocks and files Report: “We understand that Tekre will deploy prototype hotrives inside LTO libraries in its UK data centers to test the performance, reliability and strength of the product. Holomem has written a device firmware so that, we understand, it presents itself as a type of LTO drive.”
Increase in future capacity can come through multi-channel recording, in which data can be layer by using many light wavelengths. Each couple channels can multiply storage without any hardware change.
