Exploring Biodegradable Non-volatile Memories for Intermittent Computing

We explore the use of non-volatile biodegradable memories when used for state retention in intermittent computing. These memories are built with transient electronics. They feature the ability to physically dissolve in the environment, addressing the arising concerns due to disposal of conventional electronics. Because of their physical construction, however, their write endurance and retention times are sharply different compared to conventional non-volatile memories. We quantitatively determine the performance of four different non-volatile biodegradable memories when employed with staple benchmarks and system support. We find, for example, that 61% of the tests fail because of write endurance issues, which represent the major hampering factor and yet are caused by specific read/write patterns induced by the underlying system support. With the energy intake expected from available energy sources, nonetheless, we find that in 33% of the experiments, recharging times exceed retention times, causing data losses that produce logical errors in 19% of the executions. These insights point to a necessary re-thinking of the software fabric, which we articulate in the paper by providing an outlook and future directions for work in the field.