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Using Lasers To Generate Random Numbers Faster

Posted by timothy on from the just-think-what-a-faster-laser-could-do dept.

Pranav writes "Using semiconductor lasers, scientists from Takushoku University, Saitama University, and NTT Corporation achieved random number rates of up to 1.7 gigabits per second, which is about 10 times higher than the second-best rate, produced using a physical phenomenon. Future work may center on devising laser schemes that can achieving rates as high as 10 Gbps."

24 of 149 comments (clear)

  1. Attention Slashdotters... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The "Real Genius" and "sharks" jokes you're about to post are less than 1% as funny and clever as you think they are. And no, you're not making them ironically, you're making them because you really do think they're good jokes. This is because you are retarded.

    1. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      I, for one, welcome our new levelheaded overlord.

    2. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by ScrewMaster · · Score: 5, Funny

      I, for one, welcome our new levelheaded overlord.

      Yeah, well. The Frankenstein Monster was levelheaded too.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    3. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by Dachannien · · Score: 5, Funny

      Austin Powers came out over 10 years ago. At some point (and that point was years ago), making references to it every time you see either the word shark or the word laser becomes old. It's really not funny.

      Shhh!

      Just know that I've got a whole bag of shhh! with your name on it.

    4. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by alx5000 · · Score: 5, Funny

      Do not look into RNG with remaining eye!

      (Hah! Bet you didn't see that one coming!)

      --
      My 0.02 cents
    5. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by elFarto+the+2nd · · Score: 5, Funny

      Nope, I had already looked at 2 lasers previously.

    6. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by AKAImBatman · · Score: 2, Funny

      The "Real Genius" and "sharks" jokes you're about to post are less than 1% as funny and clever as you think they are.

      You must be new here. We get very few "Real Genius" jokes around these parts, and many go unrecognized. Quite sad, I'm afraid... ...or in deference to you Kent, it's like lasing a stick of dynamite. :-P

      --
      Javascript + Nintendo DSi = DSiCade
    7. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by ian_from_brisbane · · Score: 3, Funny

      At some point (and that point was years ago), making references to it every time you see either the word shark or the word laser becomes old. It's really not funny.

      That's slashdot in a nutshell.

    8. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by TeknoHog · · Score: 3, Funny

      Seriously, it was moderately funny once upon time

      [citation needed]

      --
      Escher was the first MC and Giger invented the HR department.
    9. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by amRadioHed · · Score: 4, Funny

      No, this is slashdot in a nutshell:

      "Help! I'm in a nutshell! How did I get into this nutshell? Look at the size of this bloody great big nutshell."

      --
      We hope your rules and wisdom choke you / Now we are one in everlasting peace
    10. Re:Attention Slashdotters... by ian_from_brisbane · · Score: 2, Funny

      Once again, the subtle humor gets looked over but the bleeding obvious get +5... Glad to have set you up :)

  2. Obligatory quote by jspenguin1 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "The generation of random numbers is too important to be left to chance." -- Robert R. Coveyou

    1. Re:Obligatory quote by BSAtHome · · Score: 2, Funny

      Just SHA /. articles and comments. Should be no chance of being random.

  3. Obligatory joke by Fryth · · Score: 3, Funny

    They should somehow tap into phpBB. I'm already on some forums that generate more than twice this much bullshit every second :)

  4. FTFA: by lobiusmoop · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Fields and applications that could benefit from their work are numerous, including computational models to solve problems in nuclear medicine, computer graphic design, and finance."

    This explains a great deal.

    --
    "I bless every day that I continue to live, for every day is pure profit."
    1. Re:FTFA: by ScrewMaster · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Fields and applications that could benefit from their work are numerous, including computational models to solve problems in nuclear medicine, computer graphic design, and finance."

      This explains a great deal.

      No kidding. Makes you wonder if they're used in Diebold voting machines.

      --
      The higher the technology, the sharper that two-edged sword.
    2. Re:FTFA: by MarkusQ · · Score: 3, Funny

      "Fields and applications that could benefit from their work are numerous, including computational models to solve problems in nuclear medicine, computer graphic design, and finance."

      This explains a great deal.

      No kidding. Makes you wonder if they're used in Diebold voting machines.

      No, not at all. Diebold voting machines are specifically designed to eliminate sources of randomness in order to deliver predictable results.

      --MarkusQ

  5. scary by ascari · · Score: 4, Funny

    I suspect encountering the words "random" and "laser" in the same sentence would be rather disconcerting to an eye surgeon. Maybe I'm off topic...

  6. Re:Don't believe everything you read by invisiblerhino · · Score: 2, Funny

    Agreed. Someone once told me about one of John Ellis's students asking them to do a Monte Carlo simulation, and sending the results back saying "it's not random enough". Ignorance about random number generators is everywhere.

    --
    xterm -n 8
  7. Re:A Solution in Search of a Problem by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    4, 4, 4, 4, 4...

  8. Doing my part for science by Snorfalorpagus · · Score: 5, Funny

    247

  9. Re:A Solution in Search of a Problem by jack2000 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Guaranteed to be random,
    chosen by fair dice throw!

  10. obligatory by Hojima · · Score: 3, Funny

    No one will need more than 637 kb of random number generation for a personal computer.

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    Help fight spam
  11. 10d6 at lightspeed by Veggiesama · · Score: 2, Funny

    This is going to make my D&D games kick ass.