News Kirigami mechanical computer has high-density memory and doesn't need electricity — researchers demo new mechanical computing design

[Admin]

North Carolina State University researchers have developed an unorthodox computing design that uses the Japanese art of Kirigami.

Kirigami mechanical computer has high-density memory and doesn't need electricity — researchers demo new mechanical computing design : Read more

 

[husker]

After reading this article... so many questions. Is this "computer" made of paper or is that just an analogy. If not, what is it made of? If it is paper, how is that any kind of practical use? Or is it currently just a mathematical theory run in a simulation, with some future material to be determined? The title suggests it's high-density storage, but what is the current storage density and the potential that they see and how does it compare to the terabytes of data that currently fit on a stick of gum? The article mentions configurations of cubes, but how to translate that into current storage density terminology? How would this interface with a conventional computer? I guess it's EMP proof but so were punch cards.

 

[derekullo]

"The best part of the Kirigami computer is that it is claimed to be immune to the vulnerabilities electronic computers are prone to, such as EMPs and remote hacking. It also doesn't utilize any electricity, at least in its current form, which would improve its cost-to-performance ratio and make it virtually maintenance-free."

"Each cube is connected to another by thin strips of elastic tape. When users go to edit data, they have to pull on the edges of the cube structure itself, which pulls on the elastic tape and causes them to change each cube position (up or down)."

Nothing says maintenance free like thin strips of elastic tape!

 

[Notton]

I assume the next step is to create this from an infinite durability flexible material, rather than tape.
something like the stuff in the below video

 

[husker]

>After reading this article... so many questions.

It's an "odd news" piece, which qualifies as a filler article. If you are interested, you can always Google for more detail.


>If it is paper, how is that any kind of practical use?

>"The best part of the Kirigami computer is that it is claimed to be immune..."

It's a weird product, which is the point in itself, not so much its utility. The best part of this "computer" is that it encourages lateral aka out-of-the-box thinking. It promotes creative solutions and fights against groupthink. It's an essential part of learning. If you have kids, you would want them to be exposed to this and other "weird" solutions.

That is a universal good. Practicality is not the point.

I had considered that, but ultimately the article does not support that conclusion. The article never mentions education. Instead, here are some quotes that imply it is, in fact, intended to be taken seriously as a real-world solution:

• "According to Jie Yin, an associate professor at NCSU, the goal of the Kirigami computer is to develop a stable mechanical system for storing data."
• "Jie Yin talks about the idea of using Kirigami computers to run varying functions that are not related to each other, such as data encryption and haptic communication."
• "The best part of the Kirigami computer is that it is claimed to be immune to the vulnerabilities electronic computers are prone to, such as EMPs and remote hacking."
• "If the Kirigami computer makes it out of the research phase, it could be used to replace modern-day electronic computers for certain tasks, like storing data as a backup machine for governments, banks, and businesses to combat computer viruses, theft, and other security vulnerabilities."