3 ms·

this is a really good TLDR but if this what it actually means then by that means, i should be able to store information on a aluminum foil aswell?

ryandv 2y ago
> We present emergent behaviour of storing mechanical deformation in compressed soft cellular materials (a network of soft polymeric rods). I don't believe aluminium foil is cellular or polymeric in structure.
azeirah 2y ago
You can store information with basically any object. You can count in binary using your fingers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You could use pine needles to count. You could do steganography in knitting. You could encode information in the dust collecting behind your tv furniture...
- harhargange 2y ago
  Totally agree. Mechanical Memory is everywhere. I don't intend to show this paper as a breakthrough, but the interesting thing here is that the memory stored is 'analog', 'scale independent' (Can be shrunk down), and also re-writable. This is not too different from a Compact Disc and we wrote this paper as we thought its an interesting observation. Besides this system is closer to biological systems than memory storing devices. I don't agree with the news article title as we don't present a working device. There are advantages with memory devices independent of 'electrons' as they can't be affected by electromagnetic fields which is why Discs are still in use for storing data across decades. 'Kitchen sponges can be used for storing memory' kinda would have been more accurate.
jaapz 2y ago
If you mean you can store information on aluminum foil because you can indent it, technically yes. I mean, that's how music was/is stored on wax phonograph cylinders and vynil records
- ryandv 2y ago
  Yes, you can also chisel information into cave walls in a similar fashion. The novelty here is that the indented information can be "erased" by uncompressing/unsqueezing/removing external stresses from the sponge (or other cellular material), but while it is in the compressed/stressed (pseudo-plastic) state it can hold on to the impressions almost indefinitely.

ryandv 2y ago

> We present emergent behaviour of storing mechanical deformation in compressed soft cellular materials (a network of soft polymeric rods). I don't believe aluminium foil is cellular or polymeric in structure.

azeirah 2y ago

You can store information with basically any object. You can count in binary using your fingers ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ You could use pine needles to count. You could do steganography in knitting. You could encode information in the dust collecting behind your tv furniture...

harhargange 2y ago
Totally agree. Mechanical Memory is everywhere. I don't intend to show this paper as a breakthrough, but the interesting thing here is that the memory stored is 'analog', 'scale independent' (Can be shrunk down), and also re-writable. This is not too different from a Compact Disc and we wrote this paper as we thought its an interesting observation. Besides this system is closer to biological systems than memory storing devices. I don't agree with the news article title as we don't present a working device. There are advantages with memory devices independent of 'electrons' as they can't be affected by electromagnetic fields which is why Discs are still in use for storing data across decades. 'Kitchen sponges can be used for storing memory' kinda would have been more accurate.

jaapz 2y ago

If you mean you can store information on aluminum foil because you can indent it, technically yes. I mean, that's how music was/is stored on wax phonograph cylinders and vynil records

ryandv 2y ago
Yes, you can also chisel information into cave walls in a similar fashion. The novelty here is that the indented information can be "erased" by uncompressing/unsqueezing/removing external stresses from the sponge (or other cellular material), but while it is in the compressed/stressed (pseudo-plastic) state it can hold on to the impressions almost indefinitely.