Data Storage Institute (DSI), is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR), Singapore, has developed the "A-Drive", a 5mm hybrid hard drive in a 2.5" form factor.

The "A-Drive" provides capacities of up to 1 TB Hard Disk Drive (HDD) with 32 GB Solid State Drive (SSD).

The "A-Drive" could fit into tablet devices, expanding its storage space while extending battery life by up to 30%. In addition, the "A-Drive" can be extended for enterprise storage applications, reducing power consumption by up to 50%.

One of the main challenges in reducing the thickness of current 7mm hard disk drives by almost 30% without compromising on its performance and stability is its spindle motor design. To achieve a reduction in size, DSI researchers developed a proprietary axial field motor which runs smoother, quieter, more efficiently, lowering power consumption by up to 70% yet at a fraction of the cost of SSDs. The motor's design has been patented, along with 30 other unique designs for the "A-Drive". In addition, DSI has collaborated with multinational corporations and SIngapore-based companies, such as Seiko Instruments, Miyoshi, and Unisteel, to develop key components for the "A-Drive".



The Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) is Singapore's public sector agency that fosters scientific research in fields that are essential to growing Singapore?s manufacturing sector.

The Data Storage Institute (DSI) is a member of the Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR).