Analog

Interesting, I know of no other passive two terminal device announced in a similar fashion over the decades. If you would Nigel, point to one?

I think you mean devices in general, such as non linear semiconductor devices, ICs, new IC technologies, new materials etc.

But this is a fundamental device, joining R, L and C.

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Sceadwian

The main advantage wouldn't necessarily be to digital electronics. It's virtually purpose built to act as an analog neuron, storing an analog value ?indefinitely? without power. Though I agree with Nigels skepticism. HP has applied for a patent on their manufacturing method so the device is real, but I didn't see any specs for the device they built so it's usefulness right now is still in question. Then again if it can be properly developed it will help simplify a lot of things. Definitely one to watch the news for.

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Salgat

My main curiosity in this is how it fills in the final gap of applying the fundamentals of electricity to electronics (flux and charge). Flux Capacitor anyone?

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Sceadwian

The answer can be found in the wikipedia entry.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memristor

From reading a bit it looks like the fabricated device isn't technically a memresistor although it behaves like one.

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Hero999

I agree with Nigel, it might start a revolution in electrical engineering but the chances are it won't.

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3v0

Yup, just like that LED gizmo that never caught on, and that dud know as the ink jet printer.

Sorry I could not resist. And for the most part I agree. But it is HP Labs and they have come up with their share of things that worked out.

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Nigel Goodwin

Exactly any devices - but the announcement didn't say they could make them, of if it was even possible - it looked more to me like a very hopeful announcement in order to try and attract funding.

A bit like the wireless power announcement from MIT last year or so

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Leftyretro

I googled around a few days ago on the new HP development and it seems they have developed cross-bar functions with this new tech.

This could be a very big "Next Big Thing". Or not

Lefty

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3v0

If at all possible HP will get the device to market because there are gobs of money to be made. It is not a pie-in-the-sky university project looking for funding.

Not so.

HP spends 3.5 Billion US dollars each year on research. Of that HP Labs gets about 8% or $280,000,000 dollar. When HP Labs wants basic research done in a specific area it often contributes money to universities as with the Trimaran project.

This best describes what HP Labs is about

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Sceadwian

Nigel the device isn't a theory, they've made them. Here's a link to the article I orginally read, even has a atomic force microscope image of the device. The last paragraph pretty much says it all, any fab plant out there can make the devices, but the trouble is going to be getting circuits designed that use them and finding a niche market for them where they're better to use than existing technology. The problem with it being a fundamentally new device is there are no existing design rules to start with, so the initial circuit development and testing is steep hill.

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/0...ists-prov.html

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killivolt

I am thinking that you might begin to think Linearly. What I mean is that super computer's remember logic and process it as algorithms achieved. Once that is achieved begin a new process.

The Data storage and re-writing with this Memristor will allow computational software that may begin to run independently by starting several processes at a time and once one of the processes has located the desired output. It may begin again very rapidly from that point.

Maybe deploying FPGA fields or many FPGA's with a network of these memristors you can write data and re-write data at speeds currently unknown today.

This done with one computer and one processor. It will not need to do anything except observe anomaly's and run sub routines associated with data.
The inputs and outputs are adding or subtracting the amount of FPGA's which are re-written continually. Until the desired output is achieved or it has run all conclusions ?

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