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17 Jun 2002
Technology transfer may have found its way from "Star Trek's" starship Enterprise to Earth. Many Star Trek fans are familiar with clear "data cubes" frequently seen on the television program and used by the crew to access information.
A researcher at The University of Alabama in Huntsville believes the Enterprise's technology isn't so futuristic. By using holographic technology a similar data storage device could hold a tremendous amount of data and provide rapid access. The National Science Foundation recently awarded a four-year, $210,000 career development award to Dr. Greg Nordin, an assistant professor of electrical and computer engineering, to explore the idea. Nordin believes a working model can be produced in as little as two years.
The most promising applications are for the computer and entertainment industries. Video on demand from your home could be possible because of the large storage capacity and the ability to quickly access the data. These materials have the ability to store many holograms in a cube. For instance, each hologram might store as much as one million bits of data.
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