Engineers at the University of California, Riverside, have reported advances in so-called “spintronic” devices that will help lead to a new technology for computing and data storage. They have developed methods to detect signals from spintronic components made of low-cost metals and silicon, which overcomes a major barrier to wide application of spintronics. Previously such devices depended on complex structures that used rare and expensive metals such as platinum. The researchers were led by Sandeep Kumar, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering.