Probably one of the greatest inventions of the modern times, the USB flash drives have never been so popular. These small devices are now capable of storing up to 1TB of information including files, photos, videos and music. A lot of us use these USB sticks for the convenience they offer and peace of mind they provide especially since we use them to back up all our important digital files.
Considering their importance and valuable contribution to day to day life, you may wonder how this little thing actually work? It may probably make us appreciate them to a whole new level.
USB Flash Memory
Why are they called flash drives? Well such name can be attributed to the fact that these devices run on flash memory. It is actually a type of electronic memory which allows for easy and quick transfer of information. This memory is not typically used as a RAM (Random Access Memory) but more of a hard drive meaning a much more solid state with all the parts electronic vs mechanical. In fact they consist of grid of columns and rows with a cell and two transistors located at the grid's intersection. Transistors work as gates and are capable of holding electric charge.
Flash memory also operates on low power and does not require batteries to work. In addition to USB sticks, they can also be found in digital cameras, video game consoles and your PC's BIOS chip.
How it Works
For starters, flash drive is connected to your computer via USB port. Most computers are capable of detecting the flash drive's operating systems and proceed with device installation. Once installed, it will be treated by your computer like a typical hard drive. But compared to hard drives, flash memory does not consist of moving parts rendering it virtually noiseless. Access is also faster and it cannot be denied their smaller sizes and lighter wights offer much more convenience.
Without getting too much technical, the entire process goes through several steps including Tunneling and Erasing.
The USB connector acts like an interface while the flash memory chip performs the actual data storage. There is a tiny RISC processor which handles the storage control and a crystal oscillator that produces clocks signals and manages the device’s data output. Most USB flash drives come with LED indicator lights and write-protect switches. As their popularity grows, USB flash drives have become favourite promo merchandise. Now, they are available in fun novelty custom shapes which make them even more eye catching.
