ContentsOverviewHistory of protein memoryRAM TypesProtein MemoryData Write, Read & Erase techniquesPractical Memory CellProtein memory vs conventional RAMApplicationsPresent status

Overview

•Protein memory is an experimental means of storing data.

•Using proteins ,that respond to light from bacteria found in salt water, a small cube can store large amounts of data.

•By using lasers, the protein can be changed depending on various wave lengths, allowing them to store and recall data. As a result protein can be used to store enormous amounts of data using lasers to read and write binary code.

History of protein memory

Protein memory was discovered by Walther Stoeckenius and Dieter Oesterhelt at Rockefeller University in New York.

They discovered that a protein isolated from a salt marsh bacterium exhibited photosensitive properties. They called this protein bacteriorhodopsin ,because it was very similar to the protein, rhodopsin that founds in the eyes of humans and animals.

 

RAM Types

DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

SRAM (Static RAM)

DRAM (Dynamic RAM)

Must be refreshed every few millisecond Cheaper and widely used

Low power consumption

SRAM (Static RAM)

Faster than DRAM

Costly

Protein memory

How Protein Memory compete with electronic memory?

Speed Reliability Capability Cost

Basic unit of Protein Memory Bacterial protein molecule - Bacteriorhodopsin (bR)

Bacteriorhodopsin ( bR )

Purple membranes of Halo bacterium halobium.

Changes mode of operation upon light incident.

Light energy to chemical energy conversion.

Why bR?

bR grows in salt marshals Where temp can exceed 150 degree Farad for

extended time period Salt concentration in aprx 6 times that of sea

water Survival indicates its resistance to thermal and

photochemical damages

Excellent optical characteristics & Long term stability

Photo cycle of Bacteriorhodopsin

Chromophore – Light absorbing component

Light energy triggers a series of complex internal structural changes - Photocycle

Photo cycle of Bacteriorhodopsin

Molecular Structure

Quite similar to ‘Rhodopsin’, the light detecting pigment in retinas of human eye

Data Writing technique Photo cycle

Data Reading technique Photo cycle

Data Erasing Technique

Blue laser erases encoded data

Q state absorb blue light and return to original bR state

Individual data can be erased using blue laser

bR Memory Cell by Bob Birge

- Implemented a prototype memory - bR molecules to store digital bits

Birge’s Memory Cell

Stores data with 10,000 molecules per bit Molecule switches in 500 femtoseconds Speed only limited by laser steering speed

Estimated that Data stored live around 5 years without any refreshment

Birge’s Memory Cell VSConventional Electronic RAMData access

300 times faster than conventional RAM

Storage Capacity 4096 x 4096 bits page 16 Mb per page 1000 such pages 16 Gb total capacity

Birge’s Memory Cell VS Conventional Electronic RAM Data Stability

Data is highly stable

Even the power is off, memory retain its information

Energy efficient computer that can be switched on/off instantly

No waste of booting time

Birge’s Memory Cell VS Conventional Electronic RAM

Transportation

Can remove small data cubes and ship gigabytes

of data

No moving parts – safer than small hard drives

Can operate in wider range of temperatures

Birge’s Memory Cell VSConventional Electronic RAM

Cost

bR protein can be produced in large volumes at low price

Birge’s memory cell costs 2 US $ and can store

7 Gb.

Applications of bR

Ultra fast RAM

Finger print processing

Optical switches

Neural Logic gates (genetic engineering)

Present StatusNot used for commercial applications.

Used for military and scientific applications..

Researches are going on for….

High speed high capacity memory for commercial applications

Ultimate machine intelligence with the aid of genetic engineering (A memory that mimics human brain).

Carry a small encyclopedic cube containing all the information we need !!.

Conclusion During the past decade, the speed of computer

processors increased almost 1,000 times, where

as data storage capacities increased only by a

factor of 50. Also, the transfer of data within the

computer remains the principal bottleneck that

limits performance.

Protein memories use laser beam, which improve

their life with reduction in wear and tear.

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