Re:Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators
by tocomment on Saturday July 25, 2009 @04:03PM
(#723603)
That's an interesting paper.
I wonder why we can't make a "soap surface" computer? Just translate your NP-Complete program into a Steiner tree problem, make the appropriate glass plates and pegs model, get the results and translate back?
I wish I knew more computer science. I'd love to try it.
Re:Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators
by zitterbewegung on Sunday July 26, 2009 @01:44AM
(#724096)
You could do that exactly. The problem is that the soap surface computer doesn't always perform the task to find the best steiner tree etc...
Re:Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators
by tocomment on Sunday July 26, 2009 @12:05PM
(#724514)
Why is that? Is it approximating then, or just unreliable?
Re:Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators
by zitterbewegung on Monday July 27, 2009 @02:06AM
(#725462)
Unreliable it doesn't necessarily give the best steiner tree or a good answer. Sort of hazy on this mainly just googled this information.
Re:Bacteria make computers look like pocket calculators
by tocomment on Tuesday July 28, 2009 @09:24AM
(#727839)
That's a shame. I wonder if we could find other natural processes like this? I wonder if electricity seeming to instantly know the path of least resistance could be wired up to solve traveling salesman somehow?
They actually take the approach that you state. They also have to judge how the system solved the problem. If you don't reach an optimal state you could be only approximating P=NP.