Self-Assembling Nanocomputers

A Semi-Anonymous Coward writes: "According to this article a researcher at Harvard University has developed techniques for self assembly of nanoscale wires that operate without resistance due to a property called ballistic conductivity. He hopes the research will provide an 'end run' around convential top-down circuit designs, allowing much smaller, faster and more energy efficient computers."

Comments

Pardon the skepticism

[Exmet Paff Daxx]

But since this is a Harvard researcher being written up in the Harvard press, my hype-o-meter is on the alert. Then I read this:

Lieber has "philosophical differences" with the industry's "top-down" approach to nanotechnology--taking big things and making them smaller. "The way to truly revolutionize the future," he says, "is to take a completely different approach: build things from the bottom up."

Pardon me, but have these philosophical differences yielded even a working flip-flop yet? The world is littered with "proofs of concept" that are too difficult to implement. I'll admit that this technology is extremely promising, but at this highly experimental stage of development it's hardly time to go bashing the accomplishments of the semiconductor industry. Unless, of course, you're trying to drum up press for yourself.

That said, sounds pretty cool. I'll be even more interested when they can form some basic logic circuits with it.

Wouldn't this qualify as a life form?

[nobodyman]

I know it's jumping a ahead a bit to talk about computers assembling computers (this really only talks about the assembly of wires.. but its the direction they want to go). But haven't we covered the major properties by which we define life?

1. Metabolism
2. Growth
3. Reproduction
4. evolution

With reproduction added to the mix, it can be argued that 3 of 4 of these benchmarks are covered. Whose to say that the fourth, evolution, wouldn't follow naturally?

ps: Once these nano-machines develop opposable thumbs, I think we could be in trouble.