An international team of scientists from the United States, Netherlands, Sweden and Germany created a prototype sample “living and breathing” biological supercomputer. After seven years of work, scientists have described in detail the mathematical model of a supercomputer, operating on the principle of a living organism. The authors report, that they were able to successfully create a functioning prototype, significantly different from the other prototypes. The main advantage – small size.
Its processor is much smaller than a typical computer processor – Total 1,5 cm. Another advantage – through the use of proteins, it does not get hot and consumes a minimum of energy. The supercomputer runs on adenosine triphosphate – chemical compound, provides energy to the cells of living beings. According to Professor Dan Nicolau from McGill University, scheme of work is similar to the scheme of traffic on city streets. Just, as the city's own fuel cars move, the channels of the microchip are moved molecule.
Only fuel for their movement is adenosine triphosphate. Molecules energy supply mechanism in the processor comparable breathing mechanism. Since all processes in chip control biological agents, Supercomputer does not heat up during operation. The authors believe, that their development is the first step on the way to an era “breathing” supercomputers, working on the basis of living cells. Over time, this will help reduce the volume of energy consumed, and the size of the computer, dramatically improving performance.
“Now we want to develop ideas and make more practical, for example, by using different bioagents, – says Dan Nicolau. – To solve a lot of problems, chief among which is the combination of biological supercomputer with a conventional computer to create a hybrid computing system. the, that until recently seemed impossible, it becomes a reality”.
