Microforms are miniature text or images copied into film slides or roll for long term infomation in an easy to decode visual fashion. It is often preferred over other archival techniques for its future proofness and data density.
However current method of accessing microfilms is a manual affair.
Can't we encase a microfilm rolls(type of microform as a reel) in a case, that is easy to handle by robot and read as easily as a cassette tape? This automates retrieval and reading of microfilms.
What this allows for, is for people to access microform information over the internet. In addition, to help encourage access of microform infomation since you can cache the last thousands of accesses in a SSD [Which will also help preserve microforms from wearing if its used alot].
Of course for those who prefer looking at microfilms physically, its not hard to have the robot retrieve it physically to you, and have you open up the transparent hinged casset to access the roll itself for manual reading or preservation treatment. (The archival info would be probably encoded as an RFID and paper label on the reel.)-- mofosyne, Jul 17 2013 robotic library for normal irregularly sized books http://www.cio.com....derground_robotics/ [mofosyne, Jul 17 2013] video of a data tape robots (used to store massive amount of digital data for semi long term storage, e.g. bank statements) http://www.youtube....watch?v=d-eWDuEo-3Q [mofosyne, Jul 17 2013] Ted talk on topic http://www.ted.com/...mos_photosynth.html [JesusHChrist, Jul 20 2013] IBM made a magtape reader like you're envisioning. I'm pretty sure it comes in "microfiche/film" as well.-- FlyingToaster, Jul 17 2013 seems like a lot of public records and periodicals that were archived as microfilm have already been scanned into digital formats as these take up less space, can be searched for content, and do not degrade. As yet no robot exists for accessing the films that have not been digitally archived, but devices that automate the process already exist. If you request information that has not yet been archived and indexed often the result is that the piece is scanned and indexed and you can access the digital copy.-- WcW, Jul 20 2013 random, halfbakery