
49INTESYM |
BEST PRACTICE REPRESENTATIVE 2018
Simplicity realised
Much of modern technology is based
upon computers. Microprocessors are
now employed with vast swathes of
software for even the most trivial of
applications. Requirements for “next
generation” products are extrapolated
upwards from the current generation.
A vicious circle ensues, and complexity
proliferates.
This costs the world billions of dollars a
year in R&D. The underlying technology
is a wheel overdue for reinvention.
It is routinely said that technology
advances with ever-increasing pace.
But does it? Complexity certainly does,
but what about function, efficiency,
usefulness? We believe that a kind
of technological “Dark Age” began
in the 1990s. Since then, integrated
circuits have become smaller, faster
and cheaper, and so too have the
computing devices based upon them.
The principles by which they operate,
however, have not changed; progress
is being made through brute force and
expensively pushing the boundaries
ofphysics.
We suggest that a better approach
is to, instead, remove the barriers.
In doing so, that brute force will
not be needed and the pressure will
be removed from physics. Greater
technological development can be
achieved through simpler underlying
design principles. Why spend billions
clambering over obstacles when it
would be considerably easier and
cheaper to take a route which avoids
those obstacles?
Almost 20 years ago, in conjunction
with our sister company ADR
Ltd, we began developing a new
computational theory, which we call
“synergetics”. By considering even
what it means for data to merely exist,
we found principles which almost
trivialise the design of computational
systems even on immense scales. Of
particular note, within this theory it
is seen that relativity and quantum
mechanical effects are a single
phenomenon merely observed in
different ways; this alone leads to the
greatest simplifications.
Arbitrarily high computing power
can be achieved with less complexity
– and lower design cost – than a
smartphone. And by “arbitrarily
high”, we mean on a planetary scale.
Individual computers can be designed
to assimilate each other, even over vast
distances, forming a single processor
of combined power and resources.
An analogy that we use for this is
water: trillions of raindrops add to the
expanse of an ocean, yet the ocean
is not composed of raindrops, it is
always a single body of water. Modern
concepts, such as the cloud, mobile
phones and even the internet itself,
could all be rendered obsolete.
Technology
goes in cycles
and
obsolescence
is only
temporary
“
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»SYNERGETICS
»We call our simple computational principles “synergetics”
»It is a philosophy of the manifestation of mathematics
»To solve a difficult problem, transform it into a synergetic form
more easily solved, then transform the solution back
»Its most obvious application is in the design of computational systems
»Early synergetic prototypes built over 15 years ago
»Synergetics offers:
»Arbitrarily high single processor performance
»Global and even interplanetary distribution of that single processor
»Great simplification in design, deployment, and use of
computational power
»WHY TECHNOLOGY MUST CHANGE
»Current computer development follows Moore’s Law
»Lots of problems they have to solve exceed Moore’s Law (see
below)
»Systems have evolved into sprawling complexity (“technical debt”)
»Some problems can consume as much computing power as is
available
»Not all problems need more power to solve, but the solving can
benefit from simplification
Size
Solving
power
Intractable
Solvable
Problems can
grow faster than
computing power