https://m.hexus.net/tech/news/storage/128825-microsoft-unveils-automated-dna-storage-retrieval-system/

Researchers from Microsoft and the University of Washington have been working on DNA data storage for a number of years now. Back in 2016, HEXUS reported upon the collaborating research partners setting a record for DNA data storage and earlier the same year Microsoft showed some intent by signing a big contractwith a synthetic DNA production company. The most recent HEXUS article about DNA storage, from 2017, suggests that DNA is the answer to our ever growing storage needs as up to 215 petabytes of data can be encoded in a single gram of this molecular material. Furthermore, DNA can last much longer than current archival storage technologies.

Microsoft and UW provided an update on their progress in the field of DNA storage a couple of days ago, sharing a blog post and video about the world’s first fully automated DNA data storage system. The system, pictured below, doesn’t look much like any storage device I have seen before but only forms a “simple proof-of-concept test” of the technology working – melding the organic molecular and electronic worlds. Automation is a very important part of any data storage / retrieval system and this is what the above embedded video and accompanying blog concentrates upon.

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While the researchers sound very pleased with themselves for designing the automated DNA storage and retrieval system it is currently very slow. In a demonstration of the system, a 5-byte message ‘HELLO’ (01001000 01000101 01001100 01001100 01001111 in bits) was encoded, stored, and then decoded in 21 hours. This performance is described as “not yet commercially viable,” in the full Nature published white paper. However, the researchers say that they are expecting near-term improvements on synthesis, cycle count, and cost. We are asked to remember that “the goal of the project was not to prove how fast or inexpensively the system could work… but simply to demonstrate that automation is possible”.

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dv said:

https://m.hexus.net/tech/news/storage/128825-microsoft-unveils-automated-dna-storage-retrieval-system/

Researchers from Microsoft and the University of Washington have been working on DNA data storage for a number of years now. Back in 2016, HEXUS reported upon the collaborating research partners setting a record for DNA data storage and earlier the same year Microsoft showed some intent by signing a big contractwith a synthetic DNA production company. The most recent HEXUS article about DNA storage, from 2017, suggests that DNA is the answer to our ever growing storage needs as up to 215 petabytes of data can be encoded in a single gram of this molecular material. Furthermore, DNA can last much longer than current archival storage technologies.

Microsoft and UW provided an update on their progress in the field of DNA storage a couple of days ago, sharing a blog post and video about the world’s first fully automated DNA data storage system. The system, pictured below, doesn’t look much like any storage device I have seen before but only forms a “simple proof-of-concept test” of the technology working – melding the organic molecular and electronic worlds. Automation is a very important part of any data storage / retrieval system and this is what the above embedded video and accompanying blog concentrates upon.

—
While the researchers sound very pleased with themselves for designing the automated DNA storage and retrieval system it is currently very slow. In a demonstration of the system, a 5-byte message ‘HELLO’ (01001000 01000101 01001100 01001100 01001111 in bits) was encoded, stored, and then decoded in 21 hours. This performance is described as “not yet commercially viable,” in the full Nature published white paper. However, the researchers say that they are expecting near-term improvements on synthesis, cycle count, and cost. We are asked to remember that “the goal of the project was not to prove how fast or inexpensively the system could work… but simply to demonstrate that automation is possible”.

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Spies would love this.

I would also expect that numerologists could have a field day decoding GENBANK looking for hidden messages.

“The machinery you see cost about $10,000 in off-the shelf parts.” That’s a darn low price. I wonder how that price varies with sequence length.
The minION starter pack fee is only $1,000, from https://nanoporetech.com/products/minion

Does anyone here understand even a fraction of what this flowchart is saying? The symbols used for valves? The code used to convert binary to DNA bases? The bottles labeled Ox, Depr, Deblk, Act? How they get the reagent out of the bottle? The bubble detector?, or even, The direction the arrows are going?

Is there a book “DNA sequencing and synthesis for dummies”?

This would be a good way to store information for a 10,000 year space journey.

>“the goal of the project was not to prove how fast or inexpensively the system could work… but simply to demonstrate that automation is possible”.

yeah people be expecting better than NBN speeds, and testing beta versions of AI in those computers

and baby skynet is born

;)

Demonstration of End-to-End Automation of DNA Data Storage

Christopher N. Takahashi, Bichlien H. Nguyen, Karin Strauss & Luis Ceze

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-41228-8

Abstract

Synthetic DNA has emerged as a novel substrate to encode computer data with the potential to be orders of magnitude denser than contemporary cutting edge techniques. However, even with the help of automated synthesis and sequencing devices, many intermediate steps still require expert laboratory technicians to execute. We have developed an automated end-to-end DNA data storage device to explore the challenges of automation within the constraints of this unique application. Our device encodes data into a DNA sequence, which is then written to a DNA oligonucleotide using a custom DNA synthesizer, pooled for liquid storage, and read using a nanopore sequencer and a novel, minimal preparation protocol. We demonstrate an automated 5-byte write, store, and read cycle with a modular design enabling expansion as new technology becomes available.