American scientists together with their colleagues from Holland, Sweden and Germany have been working for several years on a project to create a prototype of a "living and breathing" biocomputer.
The researchers published the results of their work in the scientific publication Science News.
Scientists have described a mathematical model of a computer, the work of which is based on the principle of a living organism. A prototype was created, which has already proven itself successfully.
The main advantage of a biocomputer is its size. The parameters of the processor are only 1.5 cm - as we can see, it is several times smaller than what we are used to. The computer does not heat up due to the fact that proteins are used in its manufacture. It is also known that energy consumption is kept to a minimum. The novelty works on a special compound - adenosine triphosphate. It is this compound that provides energy to the cells of living beings.
The processor itself is very reminiscent of the traffic pattern of the streets of the city: molecules move along the channels of the microchip, like a car, which are provided with energy using adenosine triphosphate. Scientists compare the mechanism of energy supply itself with the mechanism of respiration.
The authors of the project believe that their "brainchild" is the first step towards the age of "breathing machines", which are based on the work of living cells. What will we get? Reduced energy consumption with increased productivity.
