A new technique for powering memory could lead to a massive drop in energy consumption and a surge in battery life for portable devices.
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have discovered a new technique which uses a tiny mechanical arm to convert data into binary code and records it when it passes through a nanotube.
It uses the current to define the binary code and the power is a lot less labour intensive.
This means, with the mixture of these two technologies, much less power is used when compared to conventional methods. It also speeds up the process of using nanotubes alone.
The findings could lead to much longer battery life on portable devices, such as smartphones and tablets, if further research shows the technique can be used on an industrial scale.
Professor Eleanor Campbell told The Scottish Herald: "This is a novel approach to designing memory storage devices. Using a mechanical method combined with the benefits of nanotechnology enables a system with superior speed and energy efficiency compared to existing devices."
The research is a joint project between the Scots and fellow scientists in Korea.
