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Natural Computing: DNA, Quantum Bits, and the Future of Smart Machines
Reports from the cutting edge, where physics and biology are changing the fundamental assumptions of computing. Computers built from DNA, bacteria, or foam. Robots that fix themselves on Mars. Bridges that report when they are aging. This is the bizarre and fascinating world of Natural Computing . Computer scientist and Scientific American ’s “Puzzling Adventures” columnist Dennis Shasha here teams up with journalist Cathy Lazere to explore the outer reaches of computing. Drawing on interviews with fifteen leading scientists, the authors present an unexpected vision: the future of computing is a synthesis with nature. That vision will change not only computer science but also fields as disparate as finance, engineering, and medicine. Space engineers are at work designing machines that adapt to extreme weather and radiation. “Wetware” processing built on DNA or bacterial cells races closer to reality. One scientist’s “extended analog computer” measures answers instead of calculating them using ones and zeros. In lively, readable prose, Shasha and Lazere take readers on a tour of the future of smart machines. 50 illustrations
288 pages, Paperback
First published May 17, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
June 20, 2015
An online preview (first 26 pages) is found here
http://books.google.com/books?id=EFqY...
The researchers share the theme that the future of computing is a synthesis with nature .
The following three themes repeat themselves:
1) biological thinking has inspired new ways to do digital computing.
2) biological entities may replace silicon
3) new applications may require the rethinking of the physics of computation.
This collection has the story of 14 snapshots of researchers each with a background of how they got interested in their field, the problem they are trying to solve and their research. The info is directed to the layman and the reader looking for more rigorous details will need to research it later on the web.
I'm found it enjoyable as I am a sucker for this type of personal story. Leveson signed up for a computer class and forgot about it.She was reminded she signed up when she received a notice for the final exam. During her open book test (and first time reading it) she decided it was interesting and decided to study computer science. She failed the course. (I'm amazed my reoccurring dream has actually happened to someone )
Finished but need to reread at some point to better understand things like NP Completeness.
http://books.google.com/books?id=EFqY...
The researchers share the theme that the future of computing is a synthesis with nature .
The following three themes repeat themselves:
1) biological thinking has inspired new ways to do digital computing.
2) biological entities may replace silicon
3) new applications may require the rethinking of the physics of computation.
This collection has the story of 14 snapshots of researchers each with a background of how they got interested in their field, the problem they are trying to solve and their research. The info is directed to the layman and the reader looking for more rigorous details will need to research it later on the web.
I'm found it enjoyable as I am a sucker for this type of personal story. Leveson signed up for a computer class and forgot about it.She was reminded she signed up when she received a notice for the final exam. During her open book test (and first time reading it) she decided it was interesting and decided to study computer science. She failed the course. (I'm amazed my reoccurring dream has actually happened to someone )
Finished but need to reread at some point to better understand things like NP Completeness.
Read
September 27, 2016I was in Germany with my mom in the Deutsches Museum browsing the library there when the title of this book caught my eye. I decided to read the first few pages and I became quite interested in reading the rest of the book
Artificial intelligence is my favorite subject. I would like to understand AI’s current status more and how AI might develop in the future.
The content that I have read so far has been very fascinating. I also really like and believe in the general theme of the book which is that “the future of computing is a synthesis with nature.”
The book consists of 15 articles (each article being a single chapter), in which every article has its own protagonist. Several examples of the protagonists in the book are adaptive computing, DNA origami, and genetic algorithms.
The first chapter talks about adaptive computing (to put it more bluntly, AI). So far, adaptive computing is at a level where robots can adapt to environmental variations and perform various repetitive tasks.
Each chapter has its setting located in laboratories all over the United States in the present. In the 1st chapter, the setting is in a small lab behind Stanford university when researcher Brooks was getting his Ph.D. in 1979. The setting tells the reader that visions of robotics was in the early development phase in 1979.
Artificial intelligence is my favorite subject. I would like to understand AI’s current status more and how AI might develop in the future.
The content that I have read so far has been very fascinating. I also really like and believe in the general theme of the book which is that “the future of computing is a synthesis with nature.”
The book consists of 15 articles (each article being a single chapter), in which every article has its own protagonist. Several examples of the protagonists in the book are adaptive computing, DNA origami, and genetic algorithms.
The first chapter talks about adaptive computing (to put it more bluntly, AI). So far, adaptive computing is at a level where robots can adapt to environmental variations and perform various repetitive tasks.
Each chapter has its setting located in laboratories all over the United States in the present. In the 1st chapter, the setting is in a small lab behind Stanford university when researcher Brooks was getting his Ph.D. in 1979. The setting tells the reader that visions of robotics was in the early development phase in 1979.
February 27, 2012
Book about how bleeding edge computing is mimicking how Nature computes AND trying to co-opt Nature into carrying computations by natural means (replacing DNA pieces with a custom made code---then letting reproduction take place).
For the most part the field is very young, and extremely basic. There could be intriguing results in the next century, perhaps, provided we don't destroy ourselves in the process of making these experiments.
For the most part the field is very young, and extremely basic. There could be intriguing results in the next century, perhaps, provided we don't destroy ourselves in the process of making these experiments.
May 13, 2011
Got me! I fell for the Amazon reviews and didn't read what I was getting. This book is just a quick survey of 15 scientists and their computing projects. Everything is too quick and too shallow as each story is only 10-15 pages. The actual project descriptions are even shorter than that because the author does 2-3 pages of human interest on each guy.
No meat. Mostly filler. All dop.
No meat. Mostly filler. All dop.
July 17, 2017
Una simpatica panoramica, un po' datata ormai, della ricerca in campo informatico che prende ispirazione dal mondo biologico. Diviso in tre macro-sezioni, racconta storie di scienziati che lavorano a tali tematiche, nello stile abbastanza classico dell'intervista di stampo americano (ma con una attenzione discreta ai contenuti e alle problematiche scientifiche che i vari personaggi affrontano). Ben fatto e abbastanza godibile, nel complesso.
January 19, 2018
Great. Needs an update. (my copy was from 2010). Learned about biology-focused programming languages and the importance of investigating analog computing in a world where the advances in digital processing are starting to see diminishing returns with respect to computing power. Really drives home how limited digital computers are!
I also discovered a new favorite quote (by Charles de Gaulle) "The cemeteries of the world are filled with indispensable men."
I also discovered a new favorite quote (by Charles de Gaulle) "The cemeteries of the world are filled with indispensable men."
September 2, 2017
I enjoyed reading the book. I particularly liked reading about analog computers. I had never head of an analog computer.
December 18, 2018
Little content.
August 17, 2019
the most interesting thing is on Analog computing and how the programing of organic matter via DNA manipulation might replace some aspect of digital computing.
June 28, 2022
Short book is an eclectic mix of articles only tangentially involving computers. Really scattered.
February 8, 2025
Reads like a collection of high school essays - some good and some are bad.
February 28, 2017
Really interesting! I intend to get their previous book.
December 25, 2015
Good I started reading and put it down and then when I had time continued reading. Motivated me to be involved again with the computer science, mathematical, and natural science in our world. The book discusses technology that imparts a new dimension to the human experience with dedicated architectural computing processes. An advantage for both the innovator. The story about how simple the complex world really is lives on. Also the true identity of the digital versus the analog world paradigm helps to explain the reasons that new perspectives are very important. I wonder if the loss of perfection introduces the idea that programming and therefore programmers are really bargaining for the worse possible alignment with reality.
December 20, 2013
This book is more than it purports to be at first glance (lightweight woodfree paper, large typeface, typical popsci graphics), but it offers more than a cheap airplane read. Ironically, my favorite chapter was the one on system safety, which might be least related to compsci compared to the rest of the book.
Unfortunately, as noted by other readers, the content could be made more educational — the 'grey boxes' are still the most interesting parts of the book. All in all, it reads like the transcript to an interesting documentary (which is admittedly both an advantage and a shortcoming for a written volume), but I encourage you to have a look if you have a weekend to spare.
Unfortunately, as noted by other readers, the content could be made more educational — the 'grey boxes' are still the most interesting parts of the book. All in all, it reads like the transcript to an interesting documentary (which is admittedly both an advantage and a shortcoming for a written volume), but I encourage you to have a look if you have a weekend to spare.
November 1, 2010
An overall qucik survey of things. I really like genetic algorythms, and I was just wondering why you could do the same thing for producing theroms and proofs in mathmatics. Someone's trying that it ( automated therom proving ) Probably the only hope for bigtime problems like P/NP
September 29, 2011
"To the troublemakers -who take science in new directions" it summerises all!The journey through the book was inspiring and the complex subjects written and explained in simple language is something more fascinating.
September 20, 2015
This is a great book about using computing for things in the future. For example they can put something into a bridge and that something can tell when the bridge is needing work or is unsafe. This principle can be applied to so many things and save lives also.
May 19, 2013
A fascinating overview of what some very smart people are focusing on, in the realm of doing computing beyond the standard way it's currently done.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews