Bioelectronical Unified Grafting computing
The biologists in our laboratories incessantly remind the computer scientists of how even a small rodent brain can do more (equivalent) operations per second than a room sized supercomputer with a lot less power. While most of this computing power doesn't go toward useful things like advanced math and predictive calculus, it still performs amazing ( especially at visual and motory tasks) compared to current electronics. While generally this just devolves into banter about how biologist brains aren't that powerful, somebody decided to actually do something to bridge the gap. If brain tissue is so good, why shouldn't we try to use it in our computers? After all, we already have the beginning of brain-machine interfaces; rudimental, but constrained by needing to preserve the person the machine is attached to.
The key to develop BUG computing was the invention of neuragel, based in part on the electrogel used in CAT with a focus on biocompatibility. The result is a substance that can both interface with brain tissue in a flexible way and at the same time nourishing and protecting it in order to keep it from rotting. Thanks to this, our machines can seamlessly incorporate parts of brains in their computations. While the grafting of biological tissue to our electronic computers does little to boost pure mathemathical tasks, bioelectronical computers are much, much better at more complex tasks such as problem solving, image and pattern recognition, decision making, fine motory control and all such tasks that organic beings excel at. Needless to say, this would be a great boon to all our computer based tech.
First and foremost, birdbrain and ravenmind could be made much more compact, lighter, and less power intensive since their main functions are exactly the kind that is boosted by BUG. It is a lot more complex to apply it to ORACLE. Clearly, it isn't ever going to be a small machine, due to the need of lots of actual math to perform its predictive functions, which biological and biologist brains are terrible at. However, its tasks also require a rather more abstract kind of reasoning, the kind only provided by the human brain. While organ donations from dying patients allow the gathering of some material, this is considered a lower grade computing aid than what a full, living brain can provide. Therefore, an effort is made to develop a new implant technique in which the prefrontal cortex, seat of complex thought, is layered with neurogel, with connectors being routed to the familiar back of the nexk access port. When accessed, the volunteers "merge" with ORACLE, providing their full mental capacity to planning the war effort, regaining their full consciousness only at the end of the shift. Overall, still a better experience than a cubicle.
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Topic: Mad Arms Race - Mereth Design Division (Fall 1965 - Final Design Phase) (Read 83650 times)