1. HELIUM FILLED HARD DRIVES Jordan Rowley

2. HDD PROBLEMS Air filled hard drive problems Memory space Energy usage

3. INTRODUCTION Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (HGST) HGST designed helium filled hard drives Addresses these persistent problems

4. HELIUM 2 nd lightest element Behind hydrogen (Lightest element) Very good choice for hard drive 23% of mass of universe 2 nd most abundant element in universe

5. MORE HELIUM However, not as abundant on earth in pure form Gravity cannot keep helium in atmosphere Found as component in natural gases in America Compose up to 7.6% of these gases Abundant enough for HGST to use in hard drives

6. SOME NUMBERS Increases hard drive storage capacity by 40% Reduces power consumption by 23%

7. BENEFITS Helium results in less drag on the head arms and the spinning disk track http://www.gizmag.com/hgst-helium-filled-sealed-hard- drive/24190/ Less power is used to perform tasks like these Moving and positioning heads over tracks

8. BENEFITS LEADING TO BENEFITS Less power and movement leads to something else Results in data tracks and disks being placed closer together All this means that they can store more data in the hard drives

9. MORE NUMBERS Increases density within each disk with infusion of helium Means each disk can store more data Number of disks increases from 5 to 7 All within the 3.5 inch enclosure of hard drive

10. SECURITY Helium hard drive is hermetically sealed to keep helium in Also keeps out contaminants Dust, humidity, water etc.

11. SHHHHHHH Helium hard drive run with more efficient thermal conduction 4°C cooler than regular air Means that helium hard drive runs much quieter than air filled hard drives

12. TABLE Hard Drive AspectImprovement by Helium Storage Capacity40% more storage room Power Consumption23% less power used Density1/7 less dense Number of DisksIncreases from 5 to 7 Individual Disk CapacityIncreases individual disk storage ProtectionEnclosure blocks out harmful contaminants Thermal Conduction4°C cooler Hard Drive NoiseMuch quieter

13. HGST FIGURES IT OUT Three things needed to be solved in order to design helium filled hard drive: How to build a drive structure stiff enough not to flex with pressure changes How to seal in helium, a gas known for its remarkable diffusion properties How to manufacture such drives in high volume at a competitive price http://www.zdnet.com/helium-filled-drives-announced-7000004222/

14. INTERESTING ASPECT Gives us more capacity in our hard drives which will become more important in our lives More energy efficient, which our generation needs to address Becoming more green Shows how advanced all aspects of technology are becoming

15. THE FUTURE Helium filled hard drives set to realize in 2013 HGST hopes to revolutionize hard drive industry Also wants to compete with main developers of hard drives

16. REFERENCES "ArsTechnica." Ars Technica. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.. "Helium (He) (chemical Element)." Encyclopedia Britannica Online. Encyclopedia Britannica, n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.. "Helium-filled Drives Announced." ZDNet. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.. "Helium-filled Hard Drives Promise Capacity Boost." Helium-filled Hard Drives Promise Capacity Boost. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012.. "HGST Announces New Helium-Filled Hard Disk Drive Platform." Tom's Hardware. N.p., n.d. Web. 12 Nov. 2012..