Ovonic Unified Memory (OUM)

Abstract

Ovonic Unified Memory (OUM) is based on materials in which the phase change (PC) occurs by the application of an electrical signal.  In principle OUM devices should be able to replace all electrical memories including those with very strict limitation to the time of programming.  Chalcogenide materials used in OUM devices present no fundamental limitations with respect to speed (sub nanoseconds) and to scaling (down to 50 Angstroms) and approaches have been reported to reduce programming currents to acceptable range without sacrificing the memory endurance cycle-life.  The aim of this investigation is to find factors affecting programming time and involves studies of the influence of: programming current levels, phase change alloy composition and its thickness, electrode contact materials, device geometry, and temperature.  Specific methods of characterizing programming speed will be described for both programming to the set (crystallization or ordering) and reset (amorphization or vitrification) states.  It will be shown that programming speed to set or to reset a device is determined mainly by only one of electrical contacts: set speed is not as affected by the cathode contact but depends more strongly on the anode contact and  that the reset speed could be changed dramatically with cathode contact (material and geometry) but is not as sensitive to the anode contact.   

   

Introduction

Ovonyx is developing a microelectronics memory technology called Ovonic Unified Memory (OUM). This technology is originally developed by Mr. Stanford Ovshinsky and exclusively licensed from Energy Conversion Devices (ECD) Inc. Ovonic unified memory -- its name is derived from ''Ovshinsky'' and ''electronic''. OVM is also known as phase change memory because it uses unique thin-film phase change material to store information economically and with excellent solid-state memory properties. It would be the replacement of conventional memories like Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM), Ferro electric Random Access Memory (FeRAM or FRAM), Dynamic Random Access Memory (DRAM), and Static Random Access Memory (SRAM).

OVM allows the rewriting of CD & DVDs .CD & DVD drives read or write ovonic material with laser , but OVM uses electric current to change the phase of the material. The thin-film material is a phase-change chalcogenide alloy similar to the film used to store information on commercial CD-RW and DVD-RAM optical disks, based on proprietary technology originally developed by and exclusively licensed from Energy Conversion Devices.

Evolution Of OUM
Magnetic Random Access Memory (MRAM), a technology first developed in the 1970's, but rarely commercialized, has attracted by the backing of I.B.M. Motorola and others. MRAM stores information by flip flopping two layers of magnetic material in and out of alignment with an electric current. For reading and writing data, MRAM can be as fast as a few nanoseconds, or billionths of a second, best among the next three generation memory candidates. And if promises to integrate easily with the industry's existing chip manufacturing process. MRAM is built on top of silicon circuitry. The biggest problem with MRAM is a relatively small distance, difficult to detect, between it's ON and OFF states.
The second potential successor to flash, Ferro - electric Random Access Memory (FeRAM / FRAM), has actually been commercially available for nearly 15 years, has attracted by the backing of Fujitsu, Matsushita, I.B.M. and Ramtron. FRAM relies on the polarization of what amount to tiny magnets inside certain materials like perouikite, from basaltic rocks. FRAM memory cells do not wear out until they have been read or written to billions of times, while MRAM and OUM would require the addition of six to eight "masking" layers in the chip manufacturing process, just like Flash, FRAM might require as little as two extra layers.
OUM is based on the information storage technology developed by Mr.Ovshinsky that allows rewriting of CD's and DVD's. While CD and DVD drives read and write ovonic material with lasers, OUM uses electric current to change the phase of memory cells. These cells are either in crystalline state, where electrical resistance is low or in amorphous state, where resistance is high. OUM can be read and write to trillionths of times making its use essentially nondestructive, unlike MRAM or FRAM.

OUM's dynamic range, difference between the electrical resistance in the crystalline state and in the amorphous state - is wide enough to allow more than one set of ON and OFF values in a cell, dividing it into several bits and multiplying memory density by two, four potential even 16 times. OUM is not as fast as MRAM.The OUM solid-state memory has cost advantages over conventional solid-state memories such as DRAM or Flash due to its thin-film nature, very small active storage media, and simple device structure. OUM requires fewer steps in an IC manufacturing process resulting in reduced cycle times, fewer defects, and greater manufacturing flexibility.

Referral Links: 
Ovonic-Unified-Memory Report
Ovonic-Unified-Memory Report
Ovonic-Unified-Memory PPT
Ovonic-Unified-Memory PPT
Programming Speed in Ovonic Unified Memory PDF

Ovonic Unified Memory

wearable computers

bstract-wearable computers

As computers move from the desktop, to the palm top, and onto our bodies and into our everyday lives, infinite opportunities arise to realize applications that have never before been possible.To date, personal computers have not lived up to their name. Most machines sit on a desk and interact with their owners only a small fraction of the day. A person's computer should be worn, much as eyeglasses or clothing are worn, and interact with the user based on the context of the situation. With the current accessibility of wireless local area networks, and the host of other context sensing and communication tools available, coupled with the current scale of miniaturization, it is becoming clear that the computer should act as an intelligent assistant, whether it be through a remembrance agent, augmented reality, or intellectual collectives. It is also important that a computer be small, such as something we could slip into our pocket, or even better wear like a piece of clothing. It is rapidly becoming apparent that the next technological leap is to integrate the computer and the user in a non-invasive manner, this leap will bring us into the fascinating world of Wearable Computers.


wearable computers PDF1  wearable computers PDF 2  wearable computers PDF 3
wearable computers pdf 4

wearable computers ppt1  wearable computers PPT2   wearable computers PPT 3

 Referral link:
http://www.pcworld.com/article/237238/computers_that_you_can_wear.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wearable_computerhttp://singularityhub.com/2012/09/13/2013-the-dawn-of-wearable-computing/

'Wearable Computers' Seminar Report

INTRODUCTION

Computer technology has played an important role in businesses throughout the years. There has been active development of increasingly portable computer hardware. The development originated with desktop and laptop units and is becoming increasingly apparent in palmtop, handheld and now wearable computers.

Sometimes the location of a desktop or laptop computer is inconvenient or inefficient. When accurate information is not available in a timely manner, production decreases. This is a problem for many businesses throughout the world. With rising costs and demand for increased efficiency, wearable computers give personnel real-time access to critical information (Anonymous, S21).

The wearable computer provides the ultimate in network access-- hands-free, heads-up operation with complete mobility and ample computing power. Now personnel can connect to enterprise information systems without interrupting their work. With the convenience of voice activation and head-mounted or touchscreen display options, they can meet their ever-broadening responsibilities, supported by immediate access to on-line manuals, catalogs, parts lists, drawings, supplier information, work forms and more (Xybernaut).

Whether on-site, in transit or at home, wearables could enable users to maintain communication with company computers through direct connection or Internet. The device brings forth a whole new concept in mobile computing, offering the ultimate in PC portability. Much like conventional hand held and palmtop computers, wearables can upload and download data and software from various systems to desktop PCs.

The next stage in computer miniaturization and productivity has arrived. With wearable computers, workers on the front lines of industrial facilities or in the midst of non-stop tasks can have the full functionality and connectivity of workers sitting at a desktop PC. But not all wearable computers are equal. Not all deliver the features and performance capabilities needed to bring computer productivity to the field. The purpose of this paper is to discuss many aspects of wearable computers and their impact in the conduction of business.  

LITERATURE REVIEW

Definition
Wearable computers are becoming a popular solution to the information inefficiency problem. There are many opinions of the definition of a wearable computer. "A computer is wearable when the CPU and battery pack are small enough to be carried on a belt or in a pouch" (Stevens, 2). The MIT web page defines a wearable computer as, " . . . a computer that is always with you, is comfortable and easy to keep and use, and is as unobtrusive as clothing." However, MIT gives a more specific definition of wearable computers. The following characteristics were taken directly from their web site (MIT, 1):

• Portable while operational: The most distinguishing feature of a wearable is that it can be used while walking or otherwise moving around. This distinguishes wearables from both desktop and laptop computers.

• Hands-free use: Military and industrial applications for wearables especially emphasize their hands-free aspect, and concentrate on speech input and heads-up display or voice output. Other wearables might also use chording keyboards, dials, and joysticks to minimize the tying up of a user's hands.

• Sensors: In addition to user inputs, a wearable should have sensors for the physical environment. Such sensors might include wireless communications, cameras, or microphones.

• "Attention-getting": A wearable should be able to convey information to its user even when not actively being used. For example, if your computer wants to let you know you have new e-mail and whom it is from, it should be able to communicate this information to you immediately.

• Always on: By default a wearable is always on and working, sensing, and acting. This is opposed to the normal use of pen-based "Personal Digital Assistants," which normally sit in one's pocket and are only woken up when a task needs to be done.

 
Written By: David J. Hill
Posted: 09/13/12 7:46 AM

2013 — The Dawn Of Wearable Computing?

The Oculus Rift virtual reality headset promises to bring stunning immersion for gamers.

Sooner rather than later you’ll have a computer attached to your face, and for some, it’ll happen as early as next year. Why? Because the era of wearable computing is dawning as startups and established tech companies focus their efforts on designing eyewear that converges the digital and real worlds right before your eyes.
Whether you wear these headgear in the comfort of your living room or as you walk around in daily life, during your leisure time or at all times, or for work or play, the inescapable truth is that computers are taking the next logical step in their evolution from big chunky boxes to smaller wearable forms, which will open up new ways to be productive, social, and entertained. This window into connected life will take either of two forms: augmented reality, in which a digital interface is blended with the physical world, or virtual reality, where complete immersion in a synthetic world is achieved.
The key development in 2013 will be computers molded to human anatomy (finally!).
During the time that IBM introduced personal computers into the mainstream three decades ago, the concept of wearable computers emerged, primarily due to the 1983 film Brainstorm that featured a massive helmet device capable of capturing video and recording human sensations. Then in the 1990s, the functionality of PCs was expanded as they became even more connected through the Internet and the promise of greater mobility loomed with high-end notebooks (laptops) hitting the market.
But three things kept most computers firmly planted on desktops everywhere: the dependency on the electrical grid for power, the need for Ethernet cables to network, and a clunky form factor that has changed little since the first PCs.
Today, battery technology allows computers increasingly longer periods of time away from the grid. WiFi and other wireless technologies have effectively cut the Ethernet umbilicus allowing mobile computing to become widespread. But advances in electronics and miniaturization have yet to free computers from their recognizable rectangular forms. Even smartphones mimic the black brick forms of their monolithic-like predecessors.
It’s time for computers to integrate with biology, and there’s no better place to start than with the eyes.

Google Glass will get into developer’s hands at the beginning of next year.

That’s exactly what Google has in mind. The April announcement for Project Glass last April was paradigm shifting in that it promised a connected anytime, anywhere minimalistic device that seemed to integrate easily into life and yet wasn’t a smartphone. The Glass conceptual video that was released showed how functionalities of smartphones and web browsers could potentially be merged into an augmented reality user experience that was nonintrusive, fluid, and powerful. With this video, Google demonstrated its post-PC vision is one in which a computer serves as your wingman, allowing you to take center stage but ready to assist.
Since the initial unveiling, Glass prototypes have been donned by Google co-founders Sergei Brin and Larry Page, Google employees, and even models at a fashion show. Brin told Bloomberg that developer versions of the device called Explorer Editions would be out in early 2013 and “within a year after that I want to have broad consumer offering.” Now it could be that Google Glass won’t hit shelves until 2014, but you can guarantee that every sighting and news tip about the headset will be all over the media next year as developers talk about their experiences and what they hope to host on the device.

The guys from Vergence Labs showing off their gear

But Google doesn’t have a corner on augmented reality. In fact, a number of Glass-like eyewear projects have shown up — some on crowdfunding sites and others from talented DIY enthusiasts — having more limited functionality, at least in the prototype stage. For instance, the startup Vergence Labs turned to crowdfunding sites Kickstarter, and later Indiegogo, to develop its social video sharing sunglasses, which allow a user to take photos or stream from first-person point of view. The project was successfully funded, overcoming a negative association with the bandit-like ZionEyez project (that raised $344,000 on Kickstarter in July of 2011 then disappeared). A few months back, a UK developer hacked the commercially available Vuzix video eyewear (letting you watch movies on sunglasses) to make a real-time language translator that shows translations of a foreign language as captions to the viewer.
Whether any of these specific projects become legitimate contenders to Google’s Android-based device remains to be seen, but there’s no doubt that many parties are looking at these glasses as the form factor that just might replace the mobile phone.
While these eyewear prototypes focus on augmenting vision with computers, others are looking at bringing full displays right before your eyes to deliver virtual reality goggles. This summer, a startup named Oculus ran an incredibly successful Kickstarter campaign for its Rift goggles. Bringing in nearly 10 times the requested funds and acquiring 9,522 backers, the total amount raised totaled $2.4 million. But unlike other crowdfunding campaigns aimed at getting gadgets directly to customers (like the Ouya console), the Rift project was aimed at getting prototype kits into the hands of developers and attracting them by garnering the support of some game industry heavyweights. In the end, nearly 75 percent of backers were slated to receive the dev kits, which means that integration into games and other software can be offered when the consumer version of the goggles go live.
Here was the Kickstarter pitch for the Rift goggles:
In an interesting development, Valve developer Michael Abrash and its president, Gabe Newell, throw in their support for the Rift goggles in the video. Last spring, only a few weeks after the announcement from Google Glass was released, Abrash put up a blog post stating that Valve itself would be venturing into hardware for augmented/virtual reality. In fact, Abrash called this project “wearable computing,” coining the phrase, and leading the game developer on yet another one of its recent nontraditional directions. Abrash recently told The New York Times that “credible augmented-reality games could be three to five years away” after virtual reality glasses hit the scene. Though Valve may not ultimately manufacture any headgear in the end, the game developer has expressed a commitment to share what it learns openly with companies interested in developing devices, according to the article.

Game maker Valve is toying with virtual reality googles as well (image: New York Times)

The initial focus on gaming makes sense for virtual reality hardware. After all, gamers are eager for technology that creates better immersion, whether it’s needed for fast reaction time or deep connection to characters in a story. Virtual reality goggles may get honed in the gaming space, but the technology will expand into other areas as developers better understand how it can be  utilized, just as Second Life has demonstrated how virtual worlds can be about more than just games. Ultimately, a headset that could allow the transition from regular eyewear into augmented reality and finally into full blown virtual worlds would provide the kind of all-in-one device that has made smartphones popular.
Next year is shaping up to be all about headsets, but developers are looking into other ways to make computers wearable. A recently issued patent uncovered Google’s efforts to create a computer that would be a Minority Report-like Smart Glove. Another big player, Microsoft, is exploring a “wearable multitouch projector“, a device (possibly glasses or something else) that projects the screen outward, turning any surface into a touch interface. These developments are taking place even as organic LEDs, long considered to be ideal for embedding displays into clothing, become cheaper.
With so many developers, entrepreneurs, and hackers pushing into wearable computing, our relationship with technology is poised to change and change quickly. Once computers migrate from being next to us to being worn on us, how long before they become a part of us?
Regardless of the augmented/virtual-reality hardware and software that ultimately rises to become the next standard by which all other devices are measured, wearable computers are destined to carve out for themselves some part of your field of vision. Let’s face it — we’re being assimilated into a cybernetic relationship with computer technology, and though we may hold out, ultimately resistance is futile.

Chameleon Chip

Abstract

Chameleon chips are chips whose circuitry can be tailored specifically for the problem at hand. Chameleon chips would be an extension of what can already be done with field-programmable gate arrays (FPGAS). An FPGA is covered with a grid of wires. At each crossover, there's a switch that can be semi permanently opened or closed by sending it a special signal. Usually the chip must first be inserted in a little box that sends the programming signals. But now, labs in Europe, Japan, and the U.S. are developing techniques to rewire FPGA-like chips anytime--and even software that can map out circuitry that's optimized for specific problems.

The chips still won't change colors. But they may well color the way we computers in years to come. It is a fusion between custom integrated circuits and programmable logic. In the case when we are doing highly performance oriented tasks custom chips that do one or two things spectacularly rather than lot of things averagely is used. Now using field programmed chips we have chips that can be rewired in an instant. Thus the benefits of customization can be brought to the mass market.

REFER

Chameleon-Chips Report 1

Chameleon Chip Seminar-Report2

Chameleon-Chip-Ppt 1

 Chameleon Chip Ppt 2

Chameleon Chips

chameleon chips presentation

A reconfigurable processor is a microprocessor with erasable hardware that can rewire itself dynamically. This allows the chip to adapt effectively to the programming tasks demanded by the particular software they are interfacing with at any given time. Ideally, the reconfigurable processor can transform itself from a video chip to a central processing unit (CPU) to a graphics chip, for example, all optimized to allow applications to run at the highest possible speed.

These chips are like providing a "chip on demand." In practical terms, this ability can translate to immense flexibility in terms of device functions. For example, a single device could serve as both a camera and a tape recorder (among numerous other possibilities): you would simply download the desired software and the processor would reconfigure itself to optimize performance for that function. According to a recent Red Herring magazine article, that type of device versatility may be available by 2003. Reconfigurable processor chip usually contains several parallel processing computational units known as functional blocks. These functional blocks are connected in all the possible way. While reconfiguring the chip, the connections inside the functional blocks and the connections in between the functional blocks are changing.

That means when a particular software is loaded the present hardware design is erased and a new hardware design is generated by making a particular number of connections active while making others idle. This will define the optimum hardware configuration for that particular software. The key to the design is the small size of each processing element. The smallest segments of the chip can be defined with just 50 bits of software code, so the entire chip can be reprogrammed with just 50,000 bits of software description. It takes just 20 microseconds to reconfigure the entire processing array.

Reconfigurable processors are currently available from Chameleon Systems, Billions of Operations (BOPS), and PACT (Parallel Array Computing Technology). Among those only Chameleon is providing a design environment, which allows customers to convert their algorithms to hardware configuration by themselves

TECHNOLOGIES USED IN CHIP

1. eCONFIGURABLE™ TECHNOLOGY

eConfigurable™ Technology is used for instantaneous reconfiguration. This technology reconfigures fabric in one clock cycle and increases voice/data/video channels per chip. As mentioned earlier, each Slice can be configured independently.

Loading the Background Plane from external memory requires just 3 µsec per Slice; this operation does not interfere with active processing on the Fabric.

Swapping the Background Plane into the Active Plane requires just one clock cycle. with eConfigurable Technology; the four algorithms are loaded into the entire reconfigurable processing Fabric one at a time.

2. C~SIDE Development Tools

Without the necessary software tools, no one but the inventors has been able to port software to the processors. As a result customers had to give their algorithms to developers.

With this software, Chameleon Systems are providing the ability for the customers to do the programming themselves thus keeping the secrecy of their algorithms.

The Chameleon Systems Integrated Development Environment (C~SIDE) is a complete toolkit for designing, debugging and verifying RCP designs. C~Side uses a combined C language and Verilog (Verilog HDL is a hardware description language used to design and document electronic systems) flow to map algorithms into the chip's reconfigurable processing fabric (RPF).

C~SIDE includes an optimized GNU C compiler for the ARC Processor and an optimized Verilog To Bits (V2B) synthesizer for the Reconfigurable Processing Fabric., an interactive floor planner, an instruction-set simulator and a unified debug environment for the ARC core and the RPF.

3. eBIOS™

eBIOS provides a interface between the Embedded Processor System and the Fabric. eBIOS provides resource allocation, configuration management and DMA services. The eBIOS calls are automatically generated at compile time, but can be edited for precise control of any function.

Digital Scent Technology

 Abstract

The technology has so far targeted mainly our sense of sight and sound. To further enhance the virtual reality experience and another flavour to it, technology is now targeting your nose and tongue. The application area of virtual reality is vast- from normal entertainment to the Internet and e-commerce application. You will be able to smell product before buying them online. California-based Digiscents Inc. has developed the iSmell personal scent synthesizer. This small device connects through your pc via serial port and has its own driver.

INTRODUCTION
Technology has till date be able to use our sense of site and sound quite successfully in bringing virtual reality and nearer to reality. Consequently you have realistic-looking games, and graphic cards that are capable of rendering them; mice that let you experience the terrain you are traversing, whether in an application, on the internet, or on a CD-ROM; and sound and music, thanks to MP3 and the like, which bring alive your experience in the virtual world. Virtual reality has, since the onset several decades ago, been dominated by visual stimuli, with tactile and auditory information research and added to the sense in the latter years.
Olfactory information has been mainly ignored as input to the virtual environment participant, in spite of the fact that olfactory receptors provide such a rich source of information to the human. To enhance this virtual experience, technology now targets on nose and tongue for the experience of smell and taste. That is, you will soon the able to smell and taste the virtual world's offerings, and not just see or hear them.
Now with the digital scent technology we are able to sense, transmit and receive a smell-trough the internet, smell a perfume online before buying them, check to see if food you are buying is fresh, smell burning rubber in your favorite racing game, or sent scented e-cards from scent enable websites. As this technology gains mass appeal , there is no stopping it from entering into all areas of virtual world. Imagine being able to smell things using a device that connects to your computer. Digital scent technologies is making this a reality.
There is a complete software and hardware solution for scenting digital media and user. It includes a personal scent synthesize for reproducing and electronic nose for the detection of the smell. These two peripheral components connected to the computer and the communication network for the transmission of the digitized smell data does comprise the digital scent technology and communication.
Digital scent technology digitizes the scent by digitizing the scent along two parameters the chemical make and its place in scent spectrum then digitized into a small file which can be transmitted to the internet attached to the enhanced web content. Then with the help of digital synthesizer connected to the computer the transmitter scent can be reproduce from the palette of primary odors following the guidelines of the digital file.
Digital scent technologies find its wide range of applications in scentertinment-movies, music and games, in communication which includes websites which is enhanced with scent. It also has its relevance in E-commerce which will make online-shopping compelling and fun. This technology also helps in advertising fields in making the advertisement more memorable and engaging. Many companies working in the field of digital scent technologies are developing a new technology for identifying dementing brain disorders, including Alzheimer's, Hunting tone's, and parkingson's and for differentiating them from other mental disorders. This method is based on detecting the olfactory deficits that are diagnostic of the deminating diseases.

Physiological Aspects of Smell

Olfaction is defined as the act of smelling, where as to smell is to receive the scent of something by means of the olfactory nerves. Odorants are substances who characteristics can be determined by chemical analysis. A person's olfactory system operates in a fashion similar to other sensing processes in the body. Air bone molecules of volatile substances come in contact with membranes of receptor sells located in the upper part of the nostrils. The olfactory epithelium, the smell organ covers a 4-10 cm^2 area and consists of 6-10 million olfactory hairs, cilia, that detect different smells of compounds. Excited receptors send pulses to the olfactory bulbs, a part of cortex with a pattern of receptors activity indicating a particular scent.

Because the airways are bent and thus the airflow past the receptors normally is low, we sniff something to get a better sensation. In addition to the cilia, the fifth cranial nerve (trigeminal) has free nerve endings distributed throughout the nasal cavity. These nerve endings serve as a chemoreceptor and react to irritating and burning sensations. The trigeminal nerve connects to different region of the brain and provides the pathway for initiation of protective reflexes such as sneezing and interruption of inhalation. If the concentration is high enough both the olfactory and trigeminal sensors will be triggered by most odorants.

Now with the digital scent technology we are able to sense, transmit and receive a smell-trough the internet, smell a perfume online before buying them, check to see if food you are buying is fresh, smell burning rubber in your favorite racing game, or sent scented e-cards from scent enable websites. As this technology gains mass appeal, there is no stopping it from entering into all areas of virtual world. Imagine being able to smell things using a device that connects to your computer. Digital scent technologies is making this a reality.

Refer 
Digital-Scent-Technology-Report1 
Digital-Scent-Technology-Report 2
digital-scents-Technology ppt

Digital Scent Technology 

Digital Scent Technology


FOR MORE READING

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/online/3230/digital-scents?page=0%2C2
http://www.studentsphere.co/index.php/technical-articles/computers-it/84-dst