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The first law of thermodynamics is quantitatively formulated via an equation relating the internal energy of a system, the heat exchanged by it, and the work done on it. A quantitative formulation of the second law of thermodynamics leads to defining a state function, the entropy.
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Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation.

Andrew J P Garner1,2, Jayne Thompson1, Vlatko Vedral1,2,3,4

  • 1Centre for Quantum Technologies, National University of Singapore, 3 Science Drive 2, 117543, Singapore.

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Organisms predict environments using pattern manipulation for energy. This study introduces a pattern engine framework, showing simplest devices minimize heat dissipation linked to pattern complexity.

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Area of Science:

  • Thermodynamics
  • Information Theory
  • Computational Biology

Background:

  • Organisms leverage environmental prediction to optimize free energy utilization for building complex structures.
  • This predictive capability is fundamentally linked to the manipulation of temporal data patterns.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To propose a theoretical framework for pattern manipulators, devices that interconvert thermodynamic work and patterns.
  • To construct a "pattern engine" that operates on a thermodynamic cycle of pattern creation and consumption.

Main Methods:

  • Development of a framework to define and analyze pattern manipulators.
  • Construction and analysis of a thermodynamic pattern engine.
  • Derivation of heat dissipation limits based on device simplicity and pattern properties.

Main Results:

  • The simplest pattern manipulators, with minimal internal memory, achieve the least heat dissipation.
  • Ultimate limits of heat dissipation are derived and shown to be generally nonzero.
  • Heat dissipation is intrinsically linked to a pattern's "crypticity," a measure of predictive information.

Conclusions:

  • A theoretical framework for pattern manipulators and a pattern engine are presented.
  • Minimalist device design is key to minimizing thermodynamic inefficiencies in pattern manipulation.
  • Pattern crypticity fundamentally limits the efficiency of thermodynamic cycles involving information processing.