Data Can Now Be Stored On Paper.

Is it time to say goodbye to CDs, DVDs, Zip drives?

A Kerala student has developed a technique for portable data whereby the data can now be stored on ordinary paper. And to boot, larger amounts of data can be had on lesser space.

The immediate question that pops into the mind is how to retrieve the data. Will it be as easy as feeding a floppy disc or CD into the drive and having it on the monitor? Perhaps it will be much easier than that. The piece of paper or even plastic sheet storing the data has only to be scanned in the scanner and read over the monitor. So wait, scan drive would be part of your computer.

Named "Rainbow Technology", the new technique is the brainchild of Sainul Abideen, who has just finished his MCA at Muslim Educational Society Engineering College in Kuttipuram in Kerala's Malappuram district.

The extremely low-cost technology will drastically reduce the cost of storage and provide for high-speed storage as well. Files in any format such as movie files, songs, images and text can be stored using this technology.

Currently, of the several options available for data storage, DVDs are the best mode. But a high quality DVD, which is very expensive can store only about 4.7 gigabyte (GB) of data. In contrast, the Rainbow Versatile Disc (RVD) can store 90 to 450 GB. And Sainul has simultaneously developed a scanning drive based on his Rainbow software which will come in smaller sizes to be initially carried with the laptops and later to fit into their bodies.

Sainul says a CD or DVD consumes 16 grams of polycarbonate, a petroleum by-product. While a CD costs Rs.15 (SR1.25), his paper or plastic-made RVD will cost just about Rs.1.50 and has 131 times more storage capacity.

Sainul, who has just turned 24, says that instead of using zeroes and ones for computing, he used geometric shapes such as circles, squares and triangles for computing which combine with various colors and preserve the data in images. An RVD therefore looks like a printout of modern art.

[FordGTGuy]

is still allowed right?

[JustCallMeDaddy]

is amazing the iventions people come up with this days, this will change the way people use the computers. People will have all their information and files in a folder, lol.

[MicroGamer]

I have a device call OSCaR (Optical SCanning and Recognition) for my 25 year old Atari 800 that does this. It even comes with a book of programs that can be scanned into the computer using a wand with a LED at the end. I should buy the patent and then see if this guy makes any money off of his "invention" and then sue him.

[THWIP]

...I was frying my brain trying to think of the name of that thing. I read this article, and was thinking the whole time "WTF...I saw this technology 20-some years ago?!".

[Captain Tuttle]

Why Blu-Ray isn't needed for games.;-)

[Boink]

the next gen is on paper:)

that is just so james bondish:)

[Maddens Raiders]

durable paper, plastic and a scan drive. Last time I checked paper is somewhat fragile. What's more is this type of optical scanning is not new and I like the larger storage capability, but what's the trade-off with less? Is the card water proof and can I fold it up? Is it re-writeable? How? Can I print new cards with a rainbow printer program?

[Sphinx]

...wouldn't we be playing pen and paper games? Hardy har har... that is my dumb joke for the day :)

[death monk]

Just what we need, more paper being produced and even more trees being cut down.

[willymcd]

trees being used for paper is not a major part of the tree harvesting pie, well over half of trees are used for energy, ie heating, i think trees for paper is one of the smaller uses, below construction.

[death monk]

Yeah, I was just fooling around. If this were more about the data being on plastic sheets I probably would have made some comment about petroleum instead.

[wanderingshadow]

450 GB on a Rainbow Card? I'm sold!