the moleculatronics thread

[IgnusDei]

no, this is not a moo2 thread :)

i just wanted everyone's take on the theoretical device known as the moleculartronic computer: how will it work, can it store and process data at the same time? What is your vision of a moleculartronic chip or even whole computer system? Do i wear boxers or briefs?

Discuss, discuss. :)

[Cuallito]

In order to be better informed on this topic i did a quick google and all I got were these geeky sci-fi web pages. SO what is one anyway? On a related matter, quantum computers are sweet.

[IgnusDei]

from what i've read, moleculatronics process info through the interaction of molecules, much like electronics process information through electrical discharges.

the way i see it, a large block of solid matter could act as a CPU. Since the molecules of a substance in solid state remain in place, it makes it easier to manipulate and arrange them : This block could ALSO be used to store data by arranging the molecules in a particular order, or changing the spacing between them.

Of course, i am little less than a layman in theoretical physics and information processing :p

[TheGeneral]

Good lord. Google returned 4 hits, 2 of them dealing with Moo2 :)

I've only heard about "moleculatronic" computers, but it makes sense. Very basically computers are merely gigantic collections of switches: an electric current, or the absense of one.

All you really have to do is scale it down, I guess. Electric current is generated by electron hopping, and if that can be somehow controlled, we have a really small switch. I think. The equvalent of a hard drive could be trikky, since the moleculatronic computer would loose all it's memory once it's turned off, a.ka. the volitaile RAM of a comp.

Once again, I'm just guessing, so I'm making huge generalizations. If anyone has info on the topic, the ignorant would love to be educated ;)

TheGeneral

[IgnusDei]

:bump:

c'mon people, for the love science!

:begs:

[SpinDizzy]

Umm well, sounds like it'd be good for mobile devices, I see things has powerful as todays latest computer, the size of pagers.

I'm still waiting for optical circuitry, and internet connections that plug in to sockets and travel down electricity wires mind...

[YeehawMcKickass]

Optical Circuitry is the next critical step in the evolution of data-processing and number-crunching systems, in my opinion.

[Liberator]

We're reaching a point, however, that our current level of technology can't circumvent. Current processors have "wiring" composed of gold that is measured in molecular widths. Much smaller and electron drift becomes a factor because you can't predict where exactly an electron is with the precision that would be needed.

I see a future, not very distant either, where gross calculations are still handled by electronic computers, but the more mundane tasks that computers are used for today will be handled by a new breed of technology. Something unprecedented in history. Our understanding of the biologic sciences and gene manipulation is undergoing quantum leaps moving toward the singular goal of, whether they admit it or not, engineering life on the most basic of levels. Most scientists would say that's ludicrous, but when you take a vaccine you are engineering your body's biology to produce anti-bodies to ward off an infection of some type or another. In the future, we will have machines that are, quite literally, alive. They will be genetically engineered lifeforms, not true creation mind you, only God can create. But we can modify and create, on a small level, something that has never existed in nature.

My thoughts are guided, forgive me, by the Void Hawks and Edenist Habitats from The Night's Dawn Trilogy. I'm sorry I kinda hi-jacked the thread but it inspired me.

[Shin]

We had a discussion in IRC yesterday about relativism and its effect on time.

The premise is that time is perceived relatively, 10 minutes can either be short or bloody long depending on several factors. The most influential factor I identified was the degree of sleepiness that affected the persons measuring the time. Sleepier persons are more prone to "local time warps", which is a phenomenon characterized by a sudden acceleration of time that a person is oblivious to. This is usually manifested by a person being awake reading a book at 7PM in one moment and then waking up with drool on the pages at 11PM almost instantaneously.

Given that carbohydrates are known to boost the production of seratonin, which in turn induces sleep, it is surmised that an increase in carbohydrate content will, on the average, locally accelerate the passage of time.

This leads to interesting theories. For instance, a potato gun that accelerates potato particles to 99% of the speed of light may, by virtue of the high carbohydrate content found in the potato, further accelerate the particle by a modest estimate of 10% on the average. Thus, we will have, on the average, a superluminar potato particle that may hit you on the back of the head before you actually fire it.

This is, I think, the best approach for creating the next generation of computational devices.

The Solanum Tuberosum Computer (affectionately known as the Potato Computer) will be the gateway to the future. Allowing us to solve mathematical problems that would otherwise take 50 years or more before we actually start the calculations, mayhap before we even build the potato computer.

This is of course in the cutting edge of technological theories. No one has progressed from silicon circuits to solanum circuits yet. It may or may not work as theorized. However, the great advantage of a potato computer is that if it overheats, you can just eat it with ketchup.

[TheGeneral]

"The Answer is... 42."

TheGeneral

[sajuukar]

Optical Circuitry is the next critical step in the evolution of data-processing and number-crunching systems, in my opinion.
Does optical refer to only visible light? If it does, I think it could be just as good to use x-rays, or microwaves, or any other electromagnetic wave, since they all go litespede.

Unless I'm overlooking something...

[Liberator]

Why would you use X-Rays? Those are lethal. They would probably use visible light cause it'd look cool. :bag:

[Seyfert]

Originally posted by Silver Quasar

Does optical refer to only visible light? If it does, I think it could be just as good to use x-rays, or microwaves, or any other electromagnetic wave, since they all go litespede.

Unless I'm overlooking something...

Umm all light travels at Lightspeed, its kinda of a default setting for the stuff.

Current optical setups use lasers and are starting to get quite a bit sophisticated. But don't be so quick to rule out the ole semiconductor. It'll be another 10-20 years (at least) before we reach the absolute maximum potential of silicon and its dervs.

[SquidDNA]

I think the best development in this field lately is that a group deveoped a chemical which had three specifically "switchable" groups on it.

[Hiig]

I recently read something about another system of computing, call it molecular as you will. Based on DNA-strains. I can't remember the exact process, but it was based on the principle of duplication and polymerisation, much like the current PCR-technology (http://www.books.md/P/dic/PCR.php). You basically put DNA in a test tube with the configuration of your question (1+1) and after some time, you have a look at the answer (2).

But enough about slow processing.
I have some serious issues with the Potato Computer.

Given that carbohydrates are known to boost the production of seratonin, which in turn induces sleep, it is surmised that an increase in carbohydrate content will, on the average, locally accelerate the passage of time.

First off, carbohydrates stimulate your parasympathic nervous system, basically the part of your system that causes the "after dinner dip". And sure there's serotonin involved, but it's not like eating makes you sleepy per se. That's one rephrase.
Secondly. In order to have your potato gain the extra 10% in speed, the carbohydrates in it (starch) will have to be metabolized. And that won't happen if you just fire it away.
However, it is a nice theory.


Concerning the near future of computing, I think the next step after sillicon will be optical. Holographic data cubes, StarTrek Style will be able to contain information wich is very stable. Imagine a picture of a bike; stored in a holographic datacube it will degrade over time, but then the picture will only become fainter instead of parts of it disappearing at once. And a blurred bike will still be a bike. :)

-Hiig

[Seyfert]

Originally posted by Hiig

Concerning the near future of computing, I think the next step after sillicon will be optical. Holographic data cubes, StarTrek Style will be able to contain information wich is very stable. Imagine a picture of a bike; stored in a holographic datacube it will degrade over time, but then the picture will only become fainter instead of parts of it disappearing at once. And a blurred bike will still be a bike. :)

-Hiig

Its already underway, but I doubt they'll actually store the image directly. Optical storage is already with us in the CD ROM and DVD. They store the data much more efficiently as compressed data.

There's plenty of life left in silicon though, that and the fact that the infrastructure won't switch overnight to an entirely new system. Silicon will dissappear slowly, we'll see hybrids then a slow introduction of the new tech as the new infrastructure is created.