Researchers at the University of Illinois have developed digital memory technology that uses 100 times less power, which is a boon given the number of tablets, smartphones and portable consumer electronics that use flash memory today. As reported by InformationWeek, the breakthrough was achieved by replacing the usual titanium or tungsten wiring with nanotubes, which are microscopic carbon tubes that are 10,000 times thinner than human hair.

Nanotubes present an advantage because only a small amount of electrical current is required to switch them 'on' or 'off,' and is also not vulnerable to degradation or erasure via accidental exposure to magnets. Commercialized, this technology has the potential to benefit anything that uses a battery, and could even help datacenters reduce power consumption, reports The Inquirer. For now, the team predicts that power utilization could be lowered by another factor of "at least" 10.

For more on this story:
- check out this article at InformationWeek
- check out this article at The Inquirer

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