Unconventional Computing

Invention Journal of Research Technology in Engineering & Management (IJRTEM) ISSN: 2455-3689 www.ijrtem.com Volume 3 Issue 3 ǁ March –April 2019 ǁ PP 18-20

Unconventional Computing M. N. O. Sadiku1, Sheikh R. Reza2, S.M. Musa3 College of Engineering Prairie View A&M University Prairie View, TX 77446

ABSTRACT : Unconventional computing is computing using unusual methods or unusual devices. It generates novel concepts and implementations of computing devices based on non-silicon information processing in physical, chemical, and living systems. It is a relatively new field which covers a wide range of applications. It seeks to develop new algorithmic paradigms and physical computing substrates. This paper provides a brief introduction to unconventional computing.

KEYWORDS: alternative computing, unconventional computing I. INTRODUCTION No invention has evolved faster and has greater influence on our lives than the computer. The computer is capable of making calculations according to some predetermined algorithm. Von Neumann architecture is the main main baseline for modern computer. Unconventional computing is an interdisciplinary disclipine which aims to perform better than tha Von Neumann computer architecture and Turing machine. Also these are considered as the baseline models which have prevailed in computing since the 1940s [1]. A number of unconventional computational problems are described in which massive parallelism plays a fundamental role.

These computations can be carried successfully in parallel, but not sequentially. Computaional models are based on neuon, evolution, cell, immune systems which represents the natural systems.

II. CONCEPT OF UNCONVENTIONAL COMPUTING Unconventional computing, also known as alternative computing, does its computation using unusual methods or unusual devices. It deals with computing implemented in physical, chemical, and biological systems.

Unconventional computing methods include quantum computing, wetware computing, DNA computing, molecular computing, membrane computing, cellular computing, nano computing, neuromorphic computing, ternary computing, amorphous computing, reversible computing, chaos computing, and stochastic computing [2]. Such computing schemes are ―unconventional‖ in that they are not based on Turing machine or on the electronic computer model which has become known as the Von Neuman architecture. This implies, for example, that unconventional computing is a way of solving problems with quantum computers or DNA computing. classical Turing machines are inadequate for neural computation.

Figure 1 The classical computing [3].

The term of "unconventional computation" was coined by Cristian S. Calude and John Casti in 1998 at a conference in New Zealand. Unconventional computing takes computation into the real world, and harnessing the immense parallelism of physical systems.

|Volume 3| Issue 3|

www.ijrtem.com

| 18 |

Unconventional Computing.

III. CLASSICAL AND UNCONVENTIONAL COMPUTING In this section, we seek to present the features of unconventional (non-Von Neumann and non-Boolean) computing and characterize the differences between conventional and unconventional computing. Before the development of most hardware and its applications, the classical or conventional computational theory was developed. It has well-established forms to describe, clarify, formualte, testify, and logic about computations.

In classical computation, the inspiration of computers incited to an abstract model, whcih is popularly known as the Turing Machine (TM). It was a sequential computer. This was implemented in hardware (using silicon VLSI) and exploited in software. The model has been developed for over 70 years. The classical computing is illustrated in Figure 1 [3]. Unconventional computing (such as biological, bio-inspired, chemical, physical, etc. computing) is computing beyond the Turing limit. In unconventional computing, the real world inspiration of biological and unconventional systems is leading to unique hardware devices, rather than a computational model.

The strategy to perform the computing of the unconventional models does the follow the structure of the classical model. One may view classical computation as ―theory (mathematics) first,‖ while unconventional computation can be viewed as ―hardware (physics) first‖ The unconventional computing is illustrated in Figure 2 [3].

Figure 2 The unconventional computing [3].

Applications: Unconventional Computing will help computer scientists, mathematicians, data scientists, physicists, chemists, biologists, and engineers to uncover many faces of computation and to inspire them to design their own prototypes of unconventional computing devices [4]. Some of the real-world applications have positive social impact.  Computer Music: Unconventional computation may provide new path for future evolution in computer music. An approach to music technology is needed to take advantage of one of the major strengths of unconventional computing, namely, nonlinear computation [5].  Medical Imaging: Problems in image processing in general and medical imaging in particular can be solved using unconventional computing. High performance computing (HPC) is the popular solution for the common problems of this domain. The modern improvement of HPC implementation on the techniques of unconventional computing for medical imaging has been investigated [6].

Memristive devices are some of key components in the experimental realization of unconventional computational systems.

Challenges: Unconventional computing remains generally less popular for a number of reasons. One reason is psychological barrier of ―non-existent hardware‖ or that the hardware is mostly ―virtual.‖ Our current unconventional devices are very primitive compared to our smartphones and may have scaling issues.

Programming‖ in unconventional substrates is difficult. This should not surprise us since classical computing has matured over more than seventy years, while unconventional computing is still in its early stage. Unconventional computers needs special programming paradigm for its biological subsection as the current procedure does not perform well.

IV. CONCLUSION Unconventional computing is breaking boundaries in thinking and computing. It is a research field that holds promise for bringing preciseness and balance in many area of research fields—non-classical computation.

Unconventional computing will continue to contribute solutions well into the future and produce next-generation computing systems. What is unconventional today may become conventional tomorrow.

|Volume 3| Issue 3|

www.ijrtem.com

| 19 |

Unconventional Computing.

More information on unconventional computing can be found in books in [7-12] and the journal exclusively devoted to it: International Journal of Unconventional Computing

REFERENCES [1] [2]

[3] [4] [5] [6]

[7] [8] [9] [10]

[11] [12]

―Unconventional computing,‖ Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unconventional_computing ―Unconventional computing,‖ HTTPS://IPFS.IO/IPFS/QMXOYPIZJW3WKNFIJNKLWHCNL72VEDXJQKDDP1MXWO6UCO/WIKI/UNCONVE NTIONAL_COMPUTING.HTML S. Stepney, ―Programming unconventional computers: Dynamics, development, self-reference,‖ Entropy, vol. 14, no.10, 2012, pp. 1939-1952.

A. Adamatzky, ―Unconventional computing,‖ International Journal of General Systems, vol. 43, no. 7, 2014, pp. 671-672.

E. R.Miranda et al., ―Computer music meets unconventional computing: Towards sound synthesis with in vitro neuronal networks,‖ Computer Music Journal, vol. 33, no. 1, Spring 2009, pp. 9–18.

L. Burtseva, ―Why should we use the non-existent? Advantages of application of unconventional computing to processing of noisy medical images,‖ Proceedings of the 5th IEEE International Conference on E-Health and Bioengineering, Iaúi, Romania, November 2015.

A. Adamaksky et al. (eds.), Unconventional Computing. United Kingdom: Luniver Press, 2007.

A. Adamaksky and C. Teuscher (eds.), From Utopian to Genuine Unconventional Computers. United Kingdom: Luniver Press, 2006.

A. Adamaksky (ed.), Advances in Unconventional Computing. Volume 1: Theory. Switzerland: Springer International Pub., 2017.

C. Teuscher and A. Adamaksky (eds.), Proceedings of the 2005 Workshop on Unconventional Computing: From Cellular Automata and Wetware. United Kingdom: Luniver Press, 2005.

E. R. Miranda (ed.), Guide to Unconventional Computing for Music. Springer, 2017.

C. S. Calude (eds.), Unconventional Computing: Proceedings of 7th International Conference, Vienna, Austria, August 2008.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Matthew N.O. Sadiku is a professor at Prairie View A&M University, Texas. He is the author of several books and papers.

He is an IEEE fellow. His research interests include computational electromagnetics and computer networks.

Sheikh R. Reza is a doctoral student at Prairie View A&M University, Texas. His research interests include machine learning and embedded systems.

Sarhan M. Musa is a professor in the Department of Engineering Technology at Prairie View A&M University, Texas. He has been the director of Prairie View Networking Academy, Texas, since 2004. He is an LTD Spring and Boeing Welliver Fellow.

|Volume 3| Issue 3|

www.ijrtem.com

| 20 |