Created the first molecular computer based on synthetic polymers
French scientists from the Sadron Institute successfully coded and then read the word Sequence (it was represented in the ASCII code) using a sequence of synthetic polymers. Thus, they proved that information can be stored in polymer molecules, and it will take up 100 times less space (physical) than on ordinary hard drives.
/ Flickr / steve p2008 / CC
To encode information into polymers, two different types of monomers (“bits”) containing phosphate groups are used. The first type indicates the unit, and the second - zero. Every eight monomers, there is a molecular separator NO-C (separator) marking the byte.
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To decrypt information, each byte is first “separated” at the location of the separator. After that, the phosphate bonds between the monomers are destroyed, and the monomers themselves are identified using a mass spectrometer.
Now it takes several hours to encode and read the information. But according to scientists, the problem is solved - for this you need to automate the synthesis of polymers and sequence analysis.
The next goal of scientists is to create the first "molecular diskette" - a larger molecule. It can store several kilobytes of information, such as a text page.
Note that another group of European scientists is also developing biocomputers and in 5 years is going to present a solution based on myosin and kinesin proteins. It will work, like quantum computers, on the principle of parallel computing. In this case, the developers plan that the "protein" computer will surpass the performance of quantum machines.
However, researchers from the Sadron Institute believe that their development is better suited for mass use, since it is easier to work with synthetic polymers than with biological ones. Read more about their project in the article for Nature Communications.
/ Flickr / igemhq / CC
In addition to the "polymer" computers, computers are actively developed on the basis of quanta and DNA. All of them are designed to replace conventional silicon chips in order to more efficiently store data and improve computing performance.
According to Dan Nicolau, a professor at the Faculty of Bioengineering at McGill University in Montreal, almost all the really interesting mathematical problems of our time cannot be solved using modern computers.
Quantum computers use quantum superposition and quantum entanglement for computing. If an ordinary computer for hacking a four-digit password is searched for by a brute force method, then for a quantum computer with a sufficient number of qubits, the desired password is one of its possible states.
Thus, a number of problems quantum machines solve "instantly." The most efficient quantum computer currently has 51 qubits.
However, quantum computers have two significant problems. For work they need: a temperature close to zero in Kelvin, a vacuum and the absence of electromagnetic radiation. In addition, if qubits interact with each other, their lifetime is significantly reduced .
There are also D-Wave adiabatic computers with more than 1,000 qubits capable of operating 21,000 probable results simultaneously. But they cannot be called classical quantum computers, since they do not use the principles of quantum entanglement. They are used for pattern recognition, the study of the three-dimensional shape of the protein by a known sequence of amino acids and solving discrete optimization problems.
As for other alternatives to silicon, DNA computers have been developed for more than 20 years. In 1994, Leonard Adleman (Leonard Adleman) demonstrated that using the DNA can effectively solve the classical problem of a traveling salesman . Now Microsoft is actively working on the creation of a DNA computer. In particular, she has already managed to put 200 MB of data onto her DNA carrier.
DNA coding is performed by sequences of four nitrogenous bases: cytosine, guanine, adenine, and thymine. When data is encoded, the molecule is synthesized. It can store information for several thousand years.
PS Three of high performance materials from our corporate blog:
/ Flickr / steve p2008 / CC
To encode information into polymers, two different types of monomers (“bits”) containing phosphate groups are used. The first type indicates the unit, and the second - zero. Every eight monomers, there is a molecular separator NO-C (separator) marking the byte.
')
To decrypt information, each byte is first “separated” at the location of the separator. After that, the phosphate bonds between the monomers are destroyed, and the monomers themselves are identified using a mass spectrometer.
Now it takes several hours to encode and read the information. But according to scientists, the problem is solved - for this you need to automate the synthesis of polymers and sequence analysis.
The next goal of scientists is to create the first "molecular diskette" - a larger molecule. It can store several kilobytes of information, such as a text page.
Note that another group of European scientists is also developing biocomputers and in 5 years is going to present a solution based on myosin and kinesin proteins. It will work, like quantum computers, on the principle of parallel computing. In this case, the developers plan that the "protein" computer will surpass the performance of quantum machines.
However, researchers from the Sadron Institute believe that their development is better suited for mass use, since it is easier to work with synthetic polymers than with biological ones. Read more about their project in the article for Nature Communications.
/ Flickr / igemhq / CC
Alternative solutions
In addition to the "polymer" computers, computers are actively developed on the basis of quanta and DNA. All of them are designed to replace conventional silicon chips in order to more efficiently store data and improve computing performance.
According to Dan Nicolau, a professor at the Faculty of Bioengineering at McGill University in Montreal, almost all the really interesting mathematical problems of our time cannot be solved using modern computers.
Quantum computers use quantum superposition and quantum entanglement for computing. If an ordinary computer for hacking a four-digit password is searched for by a brute force method, then for a quantum computer with a sufficient number of qubits, the desired password is one of its possible states.
Thus, a number of problems quantum machines solve "instantly." The most efficient quantum computer currently has 51 qubits.
However, quantum computers have two significant problems. For work they need: a temperature close to zero in Kelvin, a vacuum and the absence of electromagnetic radiation. In addition, if qubits interact with each other, their lifetime is significantly reduced .
There are also D-Wave adiabatic computers with more than 1,000 qubits capable of operating 21,000 probable results simultaneously. But they cannot be called classical quantum computers, since they do not use the principles of quantum entanglement. They are used for pattern recognition, the study of the three-dimensional shape of the protein by a known sequence of amino acids and solving discrete optimization problems.
As for other alternatives to silicon, DNA computers have been developed for more than 20 years. In 1994, Leonard Adleman (Leonard Adleman) demonstrated that using the DNA can effectively solve the classical problem of a traveling salesman . Now Microsoft is actively working on the creation of a DNA computer. In particular, she has already managed to put 200 MB of data onto her DNA carrier.
DNA coding is performed by sequences of four nitrogenous bases: cytosine, guanine, adenine, and thymine. When data is encoded, the molecule is synthesized. It can store information for several thousand years.
PS Three of high performance materials from our corporate blog:
Source: https://habr.com/ru/post/341272/
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