Slashdot Mirror
One Step Closer To Speedier, Bootless Computers
CWmike writes "Physicists at the University of California at Riverside have made a breakthrough in developing a 'spin computer,' which would combine logic with nonvolatile memory, bypassing the need for computers to boot up. The advance could also lead to super-fast chips. The new transistor technology, which one lead scientist believes could become a reality in about five years, would reduce power consumption to the point where eventually computers, mobile phones and other electronic devices could remain on all the time. The breakthrough came when scientists at UC Riverside successfully injected a spinning electron into a resistor material called graphene, which is essentially a very thin layer of graphite. The graphene in this case is one-atom thick. The process is known as 'tunneling spin injection.' A lead scientist for the project said the clock speeds of chips made using tunneling spin injection would be 'thousands of times' faster than today's processors. He describes the tech as a totally new concept that 'will essentially give memory some brains.'"
Does this mean my Windows machine will catch viruses before they're even released?
Close, but not what I need - I need something to give my brain some memory!
What excuse do I use now to go and make my morning cup of coffee without looking like a slacker?
Much like fusion power is 10 years away, and always will be.
The Standard Perpetual Interval for fusion is 50 years. Plan accordingly. The SPI for balancing the US Federal budget is 10 years. SPI to market for all exciting new microelectronic/quantum dot/spintronic/nanomechanical/etc. systems is 5 years. Duke Nukem Forever SPI is next year.
Lurking at the bottom of the gravity well, getting old
I'd settle for speedier, botless computers.
Aaaand if you played Fallout 2, you would know that a plasma rifle would melt you, a laser rifle would cut you up and a pulse rifle would vaporize you...
Those of us who don't get our electricity bill paid by our parents.
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
If history is any indicator, then the next version of every software program would then be 1000x slower.
Yeah, but they'll also be 1000x smarter, meaning that SpinFox will automatically mod down any messages it thinks you might disagree with - with automatically created, nursed and ripened sock puppets!
Seriously speaking, 1000x faster starts getting near the level of human brains in raw power, so it should be able to run a real artificial intelligence on it.
Forget magic. Any technology distinguishable from divine power is insufficiently advanced.
You're only correct in the purely technical sense involving facts. You're completely wrong in the hand-waving making stuff up that sounds plausible sense.
I am TheRaven on Soylent News
you probably need to rethink your spending priorities.
Hmm. Two pints of beer or electricity for a device I'm not using. Tough call. (Anyway, not all of the computers I run are "modern devices").
Quidnam Latine loqui modo coepi?
For Windows, I take it the known-good state is the Off state?
Well, supposedly consciousness will emerge on its own once enough complexity is introduced, so it's just a matter of jamming as much complexity down in there as we can. Maybe an entire copy of the business logic of all the world's health insurance and financial companies would do the trick. :-)
Now as to whether the consciousness will have a will, or be a passive observer, that's a better question (neglecting the tenable argument that will is an illusion.) Creating consciousness won't be very interesting to us out here if all it does is treat us as an entertaining TV show. Besides, there are far simpler ways to create coach potatoes.
Someone had to do it.