Electronics' 'missing link' found

[danrok]

Details of an entirely new kind of electronic device, which could make chips smaller and far more efficient, have been outlined by scientists.

See front page:
http://www.aoaforums.com/frontpage/content/view/4168/1/

Comments?

[Gizmo]

People keep claiming 'fundamental breakthroughs that are going to alter the world of electronics as we know it', but rarely do they prove to be practical. I'll get excited when I start seeing real devices.

[ccperf721p]

Usually the 'fundamental breakthroughs that are going to alter the world of electronics as we know it' are followed closely by an IPO.

[cloasters]

As long as it's kept fundamental, maybe I can understand it. These things sound very impressive, maybe they'll be a big help if they're eventually put to use.

[Samuknow]

Many coulds here.

The big feature other than instant on is the shrinking of a transistor like device. If these devices in the crossbar act like and have the same characteristics of a transistor, that could be huge for future CPU and like devices. I am with you guys though......Show me.

[cloasters]

After many, many the next BIG THINGS, maybe we're all from Missouri?

[MUff1N]

IF, these prove to be useful and do work, then I'd love to have the Instant ON feature...

[Daniel ~]

Still...the dream of a new fundamental piece of the puzzel...what's not to like.... except lack of production... ( a stock broker could starve in this forums! ":O}

[Áedán]

The downside is that HP's lab samples are pretty slow. Their ability to switch was demonstrated at about 1Hz...

[cloasters]

1 Hz? Talk about your useless crap on a cracker....

[MUff1N]

It's a start though! Before it was just an idea that might work...
Anyways, just think about the first computers & memory and how slow they were.
Wasn't that done with vacuum tubes too? Yes...this was one form of it.

Speaking of which, pictures are worth a thousand words...
How about this baby!!! (Notice the long haired dude working on it!)
Introducing the Bendix G-15 General Purpose Digital Computer made in 1956!
Nothing like having a Refrigerator in your room!!! But what a collectors item this would make still in working condition...hmmm
If you're interested in reading more about this and first memory go here.
The First Generation Computers

First RAM...
A high-speed electrostatic store was the heart of several early computers. The great advantage of this type of "memory" is that, by suitably controlling the deflector plates of the cathode ray tube, it was possible to redirect the beam almost instantaneously to any part of the screen: random access memory.
Bowden

[cloasters]

I wonder what this machine cost? And in 1956 dollars? How much heat did it generate? All very large numbers, I betcha.

[Áedán]

Originally Posted by MUff1N

It's a start though! Before it was just an idea that might work...
Anyways, just think about the first computers & memory and how slow they were.

Arguably the first programmable computer was the UK's Colossus. Slow? Well, I'm not sure. For a machine that was built in 1944, it ran at what you might consider an equivelent rate of about 5.8Mhz. However, this was a limitation of the paper tape input mechanism. The original machine was overclocked at one point to nearly twice it's normal operating frequency (equivelent of about 11Mhz). The issue wasn't the valves keeping up, but the paper tape effectively 'burst', throwing tape around the room at 60Mph or so...

[cloasters]

11 Mhz? Shazam, I didn't know that Colossus was that fast, quite a feat in 1944!

[Daniel ~]

What a paper cut!