Microsoft demonstrated the capabilities of Project Silica by recording for Warner Bros. the 1978 Superman cult film on a 75Γ75Γ2 mm piece of glass that can store up to 75,6 GB of data (including error correction code).
Microsoft Research's Project Silica concept uses the latest discoveries in ultrafast laser optics and artificial intelligence to store data in quartz glass. With the help of a laser, data is encoded in glass, creating layers of three-dimensional nanoscale gratings and deformations at different depths and at different angles. Machine learning algorithms are used to decode the patterns created in the glass.
Information can be stored on hard disks for 3-5 years, magnetic tape can wear out after 5-7 years, CD, if properly stored, can last 1-2 centuries. Project Silica aims to create storage media designed for long-term storage of data, both "in the box" and out of it. Femtosecond lasers with ultra-short optical pulses change the structure of glass, so data can be stored for centuries. In addition, quartz glass can easily withstand almost any impact, including boiling in water, heating in the oven and microwave, washing and cleaning, degaussing, etc.
"Writing an entire Superman movie onto glass and successfully reading it is a milestone," said Mark Russinovich, CTO of Microsoft Azure. βI'm not saying that we've got all the answers, but it looks like we've moved on to the stage where we can do cultivation and experimentation rather than asking if we can do it?β
Source: 3dnews.ru