American startup creates the first thermodynamic computer
US startup Normal Computing has created a thermodynamic computer that uses the laws of thermodynamics to perform calculations.
The founders of Normal Computing, former leading developers of artificial intelligence and quantum platforms at Google Brain and Alphabet X, developed this thermodynamic computer as a transitional option in the field of computing.
Normal Computing has already demonstrated a prototype thermodynamic computer for calculating the inverse matrix, proving its effectiveness. According to the company, this approach also works for other cases of linear algebra computing.
The prototype consists of a matrix containing repeating groups of elements – oscillators with an oscillating capacitive circuit, which the company calls a stochastic processing unit (SPU).
How a thermodynamic computer works
The principle of operation is to charge the capacitors to the required value, after which the board comes into thermodynamic equilibrium with the environment in which it is placed.
After the cells cool down, the values are read, resulting in more efficient calculations than traditional methods.
