The RAM: A forgetful production facility

The 'Random Access Memory' (RAM) is the 'direct access' or 'working memory' that performs the main work in computing processes. A single RAM module has fewer pins than the bus width of the 'words' that are to be processed. As this 'word width' - i.e. the basic processing data size - has constantly increased, up to the 64-bit architecture currently in use, the designers combine many RAMs in a 'bank', which enables them to cover the required word width.

The data in the RAMs is usually 'volatile', i.e. it is not saved when the power supply ends. These forgetful components are also known as dynamic RAM (DRAM). However, there are 'non-volatile' RAM components with a good memory. They are called NVRAM.

Scientists are currently conducting intensive research into resistive RAM (RRAM) for the mass market. Firstly, this type of memory is 'non-volatile', meaning it retains its data, secondly, the memory density is much higher, and thirdly, energy consumption is also significantly reduced. The latter is by no means insignificant, as hardly anything consumes as much energy as RAM, which significantly limits the battery life of smartphones and tablets in particular.