I have been looking at DRAM for a while. I first saw how it worked on an example circuit for this circuit simulator. I had an idea then that a semi-volatile memory could be invented. It would be like DRAM in that it uses capacitors but like EEPROM in that it would remember the data through a power cycle. I wasn't thinking about relays then, so I was having troubles with not having any energy leak too fast. Essentially this strange semi-volatile memory would only remember for a time, say, a few minutes at best. And would still need a refresh.

I happen to have some relays coming in the mail, so I thought about this idea. I think I could use relays or a mix of relays and logic chips to prevent leakage. The multiplexer and data lines would be a mix of relays and logic chips so that when power is lost no capacitor has a lead connected into the rest of the circuit. The circuit would be broken. Of course, the charge of the capacitor would die over time anyways, but it would be semi-volatile. Once powered on again the capacitors would be reconnected.

Basically I want to make semi-volatile DRAM. Kinda weird but really cool!