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Computing with liquid crystal fingers: models of geometric and logical computation
Andrew Adamatzky1, Stephen Kitson, Ben De Lacy Costello
1Unconventional Computing Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK.
Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics
|February 7, 2012
Summary
Cholesteric liquid crystal fingers, observed in simulations, can perform computations. These dynamic structures solve geometry problems and even function as a one-bit half-adder using collision-based computing principles.
Area of Science:
- Physics
- Materials Science
- Computer Science
Background:
- Cholesteric liquid crystals exhibit dynamic behaviors when subjected to voltage.
- Previously, the computational potential of these phenomena was largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the computational capabilities of cholesteric liquid crystal fingers.
- To demonstrate their application in solving computational geometry and logic problems.
Main Methods:
- Computer simulations based on experimental laboratory results.
- Modeling the behavior of branching and nonbranching cholesteric fingers.
- Designing and simulating a collision-based one-bit half-adder.
Main Results:
- Branching fingers were shown to approximate planar Voronoi diagrams.
- Nonbranching fingers successfully produced convex subdivisions of concave polygons.
- A functional one-bit half-adder was simulated using liquid crystal finger collisions.
Conclusions:
- Cholesteric liquid crystal fingers possess significant computational potential.
- This research opens avenues for novel computing paradigms based on physical phenomena.
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