27 research outputs found
Computers from plants we never made. Speculations
We discuss possible designs and prototypes of computing systems that could be
based on morphological development of roots, interaction of roots, and analog
electrical computation with plants, and plant-derived electronic components. In
morphological plant processors data are represented by initial configuration of
roots and configurations of sources of attractants and repellents; results of
computation are represented by topology of the roots' network. Computation is
implemented by the roots following gradients of attractants and repellents, as
well as interacting with each other. Problems solvable by plant roots, in
principle, include shortest-path, minimum spanning tree, Voronoi diagram,
-shapes, convex subdivision of concave polygons. Electrical properties
of plants can be modified by loading the plants with functional nanoparticles
or coating parts of plants of conductive polymers. Thus, we are in position to
make living variable resistors, capacitors, operational amplifiers,
multipliers, potentiometers and fixed-function generators. The electrically
modified plants can implement summation, integration with respect to time,
inversion, multiplication, exponentiation, logarithm, division. Mathematical
and engineering problems to be solved can be represented in plant root networks
of resistive or reaction elements. Developments in plant-based computing
architectures will trigger emergence of a unique community of biologists,
electronic engineering and computer scientists working together to produce
living electronic devices which future green computers will be made of.Comment: The chapter will be published in "Inspired by Nature. Computing
inspired by physics, chemistry and biology. Essays presented to Julian Miller
on the occasion of his 60th birthday", Editors: Susan Stepney and Andrew
Adamatzky (Springer, 2017
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Memristor-based arithmetic units
The modern computer architecture community is continually pushing the limits of performance, speed, and efficiency. Recently, the ability to satisfy this endeavor with popular CMOS technology has proved difficult, and in many settings, impossible. The community has begun to explore alternatives to standard practices, researching new components such as nanoscale structures. Additional research has applied these new components and their characteristics to rethink the architecture of the latest technology, moving away from the Von Neumann architecture. A leading technology in this effort is the memristor. Memristors are a new class of circuit elements that have the ability to change their resistance value while retaining knowledge of their current and past resistances. Their small form factor, high density, and fast switching times have sparked research in their applications in modern memory hierarchies. However, their utility in arithmetic has been minimally explored. This dissertation describes the prior work in the exploration of memristor technology, fabrication, modeling, and application, followed by the completed research performed in the design and implementation of arithmetic units using memristors. Implementations of popular adders, multipliers, and dividers in the context of memristors are designed using four approaches: IMPLY, hybrid-CMOS, threshold gates, and MAD gates. Each of these approaches has different tradeoffs and benefits for memristor-based design. Although the first three approaches have been defined in prior work, MAD gates are a novel application for memristors proposed that offer lower power, area, and delay as compared to prior approaches. This work explores these benefits for arithmetic unit design. The details of each designs, simulation results, and analyses in terms of complexity and delay and power are presented. For arithmetic units which have been designed or presented in prior work, this research improves upon the design in each metric. Many of the designs are transformed and pipelined to leverage memristor characteristics and the various approaches rather than traditional CMOS and this is discussed in detail. Overall, the proposed designs offer significant improvements to traditional CMOS designs, motivating the effort to continue exploring memristors and their application to modern computer architecture design.Electrical and Computer Engineerin