Millenniata received the Visionary Product Consumer Storage device award during the Storage Visions 2012 conference at the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show for its M-DISC permanent storage technology that etches data onto a stone like material.

In August 2011, Millenniata launched the new optical disc technology with its M-DISC and M-READY disc storage - technology that permanently etches data onto the write layer of the disc for use anytime and "for generations to come" without data lost. The company points to the fact that an M-DISC should be readable for more than 10,000 years when stored in an ordinary, dry, room-temperature environment.

However the polycarbonate substrate used in the disc is the weak link. External studies conducted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) concluded that the substrate materials in DVDs should be reliable for at least 1,000 years. "Therefore, a lifetime estimate of at least 1,000 years, limited by the durability of the polycarbonate substrate, is very reasonable,"? says Millenniata.

The M-DISC is the first backward compatible non-dye based optical disc technology constructed of inorganic materials. The inorganic rock-like data layer sets it apart from DVDs and CDs. The pits on the disc do not degrade over time due to the natural processes that affect organic dyes used in all other optical discs. Pits are carved with higher powered laser than in DVD into stronger metal layer “unaffected by the elements."?

Millenniata also entered into a manufacturing and marketing partnership with Hitachi-LG Data Storage, Inc. to manufacture M-DISC compatible DVD drives under the LG brand.

Story filed 30.01.12