PROTEIN BASED STORAGE

1
PR
OTEINBASED STORAGE

• 
  

2
Contents

• Overview
• History of protein memory
• RAM Types
• Protein Memory
• Data Write, Read Erase techniques
• Practical Memory Cell
• Protein memory vs conventional RAM
• Applications
• Present status

3

• Overview
• Protein memory is an experimental means of
  storing data.
• Using proteins ,that respond to light from
  bacteria found in salt water, a small cube can
  store large amounts of data.
• By using lasers, the protein can be changed
  depending on various wave lengths, allowing them
  to store and recall data. As a result protein
  can be used to store enormous amounts of data
  using lasers to read and write binary code.

4
History of protein memory

• Protein memory was discovered by Walther
  Stoeckenius and Dieter Oesterhelt at Rockefeller
  University in New York.
• They discovered that a protein isolated from a
  salt marsh bacterium exhibited photosensitive
  properties. They called this protein
  bacteriorhodopsin ,because it was very similar to
  the protein, rhodopsin that founds in the eyes of
  humans and animals.
•  

5
RAM Types

• DRAM (Dynamic RAM)
• SRAM (Static RAM)

6

• DRAM (Dynamic RAM)
• Must be refreshed every few millisecond
• Cheaper and widely used
• Low power consumption
• SRAM (Static RAM)
• Faster than DRAM
• Costly

7
Protein memory

• How Protein Memory compete with electronic
  memory?
• Speed
• Reliability
• Capability
• Cost
• Basic unit of Protein Memory Bacterial protein
  molecule - Bacteriorhodopsin (bR)

8
Bacteriorhodopsin ( bR )

• Purple membranes of Halo bacterium halobium.
• Changes mode of operation upon light incident.
• Light energy to chemical energy conversion.

9
Why bR?

• bR grows in salt marshals
• Where temp can exceed 150 degree Farad for
  extended time period
• Salt concentration in aprx 6 times that of sea
  water
• Survival indicates its resistance to thermal and
  photochemical damages
• Excellent optical characteristics Long term
  stability

10
Photo cycle of Bacteriorhodopsin

• Chromophore Light absorbing component
• Light energy triggers a series of complex
  internal structural changes - Photocycle

11
Photo cycle of Bacteriorhodopsin
12
Molecular Structure

• Quite similar to Rhodopsin, the light detecting
  pigment in retinas of human eye

13
Data Writing technique Photo cycle
14
Data Reading technique Photo cycle
15
Data Erasing Technique

• Blue laser erases encoded data
• Q state absorb blue light and return to original
  bR state
• Individual data can be erased using blue laser

16
bR Memory Cell by Bob Birge

• - Implemented a prototype memory
• - bR molecules to store digital bits

17
Birges Memory Cell

• Stores data with 10,000 molecules per bit
• Molecule switches in 500 femtoseconds
• Speed only limited by laser steering speed
• Estimated that Data stored live around 5 years
  without any refreshment

18
Birges Memory Cell
VSConventional Electronic RAM

• Data access
• 300 times faster than conventional RAM
• Storage Capacity
• 4096 x 4096 bits page
• 16 Mb per page
• 1000 such pages
• 16 Gb total capacity

19
Birges Memory Cell
VS Conventional Electronic RAM

• Data Stability
• Data is highly stable
• Even the power is off, memory retain its
  information
• Energy efficient computer that can be switched
  on/off instantly
• No waste of booting time

20
Birges Memory Cell VS
Conventional Electronic RAM

• Transportation
• Can remove small data cubes and ship gigabytes
  of data
• No moving parts safer than small hard drives
• Can operate in wider range of temperatures

21
Birges Memory Cell
VSConventional Electronic RAM

• Cost
• bR protein can be produced in large volumes at
  low price
• Birges memory cell costs 2 US and can store 7
  Gb.

22
Applications of bR

• Ultra fast RAM
• Finger print processing
• Optical switches
• Neural Logic gates (genetic engineering)

23
Present Status

• Not used for commercial applications.
• Used for military and scientific applications..
• Researches are going on for.
• High speed high capacity memory for commercial
  applications
• Ultimate machine intelligence with the aid of
  genetic engineering (A memory that mimics human
  brain).
• Carry a small encyclopedic cube containing all
  the information we need !!.

24
Conclusion

• During the past decade, the speed of computer
  processors increased almost 1,000 times, where as
  data storage capacities increased only by a
  factor of 50. Also, the transfer of data within
  the computer remains the principal bottleneck
  that limits performance.
• Protein memories use laser beam, which improve
  their life with reduction in wear and tear.

25

• THANK YOU