Microsoft is creating the cloud based data storage system on the basis of DNA

Nowadays, the majority of companies are undertaking research on creating new information carriers. Microsoft’s research group has made the most advanced effort.

Last year developers announced their intention to use DNA to store information. According to MIT Technology Review, it should happen in three years when they are going to launch a system that will allow storing data remotely on DNA carriers.

Today Microsoft collaborates with the company Twist Bioscience. This office is specialized in the production of artificial DNA. Developers believe that their data carriers will be comparable in size with the copying technology Xerox of the 70s. The usage of DNA as an information carrier really makes sense: this molecule has an extremely high record density. For example, a representative of Semiconductor Research Corporation has stated: “Data on DNA can be recorded with very high density. So, all of the movies created in motion picture history will not exceed the usual piece of sugar in size when recording on DNA. That is why we have paid attention to this attribute. Moreover, the usage of artificial DNA would solve the problem of the rapid growth of stored information volume and it would obviate the development of new methods of storing it.”

Furthermore, one of the researchers’ plans is to speed up the record of information on DNA. The current speed is 400 bytes per second, and soon this indicator should grow to 100 MB per second. Despite the fact that there are ready-made prototypes of DNA information carriers available, the high price is hampering the universal proliferation of this technology. Microsoft insists that the value of data storage on DNA should be reduced at least by 10000 times in order for this technology to spread to everyone.