Lubricated hard drives

[KimB]

I thought this sounded pretty cool:
http://www.dailytech.com/article.aspx?newsid=3122

The idea is that they lubricate the surface of the platter, so that they can actually allow the read/write heads to touch the surface without damaging it. The lubricant they use is carbon nanotubes, and they have a reservoir of the tubes within the hard drive that is expected to last 5-10 years.

Sounds pretty cool to me, though I do wonder a little bit about heat (from friction...though it may be that the heads aren't meant to be in contact with the surface often). And in order to keep that desired vapor pressure, the hard drive will need to be completely sealed from its environment. Cracking it open could dramatically reduce the hard drive's life span.

 

[Moloch]

sounds good for servers :neutral:

 

[nintenho]

Well, wow. It's the next gen!?

 

[RussSchultz]

They need to advertise it with a catchy jingle like this:

http://www.hitachigst.com/hdd/research/recording_head/pr/PerpendicularAnimation.html

 

[Moloch]

I would imagine it may be even funnier because of the sexual innuendo.

 

[KimB]

I really have to wonder if they'll run into issues with the carbon nanotubes coating other objects within the hard drive. I mean, since they rely upon vapor pressure for the nanotubes to reattach to the platter once they've been knocked off, that vapor pressure will get them to attach to any surface within the hard drive where they can stick.

 

[_xxx_]

Sounds sexy...

 

[Rys]

I really have to wonder if they'll run into issues with the carbon nanotubes coating other objects within the hard drive. I mean, since they rely upon vapor pressure for the nanotubes to reattach to the platter once they've been knocked off, that vapor pressure will get them to attach to any surface within the hard drive where they can stick.

As long as a majority don't fall off and collect into the exact same spot (and assuming the drive still works without its lube), I'd imagine it'd be alright, since their conductivity is negligible. I think. Off the top of my head at 8am without any caffeine.

 

[IgnorancePersonified]

I want mine in black latex..

 

[Guden Oden]

This sounds like a rather hare-brained idea. What if you get a dud drive that sheds hair like a dog, two years out - headcrash. Considering the capacity increase they're boasting, it could be extremely devastating; who around here bothers to back up their harddrives anymore when one single unit outstrips the capacity of affordable tape drives to such a huge degree?

I don't want to buy anything with that kind of a built-in countdown timer in it.

 

[KimB]

Well, actually, since they're relying upon vapor pressure to keep the nanoparticles on the hard drive, it would last indefinitely if:
1. All nanoparticles remain in tact.
2. No nanoparticles escape the hard drive.

Basically, if a piece of the hard drive ever becomes bare, there's enough nanoparticles in the atmosphere within the hard drive that they'll just settle right back down on that spot. It's kind of like how you can't get dry if the humidity is very high.