HP Develops Tiny Radio Chips

by John Markoff New York Times, 17 Jul 2006 HP researchers based in England have developed very small chips that can store 512,000 bytes of information and be read by a handheld device. The chips, called Memory Spots, are 1.4 square millimeters and feature small processors, which would allow the chips to actively protect the data they contain. Unlike RFID tags, which company officials said the new chips are not intended to replace, the chips hold significantly more data and cannot be read from several feet away. Whereas RFID chips are designed for inventory and supply-chain applications, Memory Spots have different potential. Because the HP chips have a relatively large capacity, they can store not only text-based information but also audio, video, or images. HP officials said the chips might be used in medical bracelets, for example, or attached to photos to store information about the pictures. Read more