[net.general] Molecular Computing Research

dcn@ihuxl.UUCP (Dave Newkirk) (12/21/83)

	(Summarized from The Institute, News Supplement to the IEEE Spectrum)

	A gathering of physicists, chemists, biologists and computer
	scientists recommended that the NSF support basic research in
	molecular computing.  Molecular computers should complement
	purely electronic computers well, since they specialize in tasks
	that are difficult for current systems, such as sensory inputs
	depending on light, sound, temperature, pressure and texture.

	It may also be possible to construct a fully molecular computer,
	since one group member said carbon chains could be used to make a
	smaller, faster Von Neumann-like computer.  Because of the numbers
	of molecules, there are 20**300 primitives operations available,
	compared to current instruction sets.  Several crude devices have
	been fabricated, and the first useful products may only be five years
	away.  Another attendee said "We've got to show the 'silicon guys'
	there is a different way to compute."

					Dave Newkirk, ihnp4!ihuxl!dcn