DNA computer solves logical problems, inches closer to practical use
By Vlad Savov 
posted August 10th 2009 12:06PM
posted August 10th 2009 12:06PM
The world of biomolecular computing is hardly a lonely place: bacteria, enzymes, and all manner of chemicals have already been used to perform basic automated tasks. DNA computers are arguably the most advanced organic form of "autonomous programmable computing devices," with one already boasting a pretty tight game of Tic-Tac-Toe. The latest, put together by the Israeli Weizmann Institute, advances things with its ability to correctly respond to problems of logic. By feeding molecular rules and facts into the system, the researchers are able to program DNA strands to produce yes and no answers to basic questions. Programming is said to be technically identical to that used in electronic devices, with a robot compiler converting the programming language into molecular-level information. The ultimate aim of the project is to produce miniscule disease-fighting bots that can battle infections within the human body -- provided the DNA-programming drones don't go all Yul Brynner on us.[Thanks, Karl]
wow, that is pretty damn amazing
and scary
Westworld! Classic flick. It gave me nightmares as a kid.
Technology is getting so scary.
its still not better than my dna computer
Who might explain the Yul Brynner joke ?
Google Yul Brynner and Westworld.
As soon as I saw the Yul Brynner reference, I thought very few people under the age of 40 would get it.
I know of it because of my father's love of westerns, though it was more like scifi/western/horror ... !?
I, for one, salute our FIRST!!!11 new problem-solving Crisis-playing DNA computer overlords.
I have billions of DNA computers, all trying to do this:
C:\deesnuts\makebaby.exe
thats really really cool. But also really really scary. What if they work and we get great results from them so much that doctors starts to use them frequently on people. Then one day they become self aware......travels up to the brain and take control of all the humans that have these micro inside them.
cool story, bro
There was a huge gap between "using them on lots of people" and "then one day they become self aware"
quit FUD-ding around.
re-yomama84,
Get rich and write the novel.
i'd get rich and die trying......
I just wanted to say how BADASS it would be to become a cyborg.
This technology will become a new biological weapon.
If weapon detect person xyz = terminate
Just need a DNA sample from the target to tailor the weapon.
You know its on the military weapons program road map.
But can it run crysis?
The DNA programming seems very similar to the language Prolog, which can be pretty powerful if you know what your doing.
" the researchers are able to program DNA strands to produce yes and no answers to basic questions"
... and pretty soon valid and invalid. O_O
"The ultimate aim of the project is to produce miniscule disease-fighting bots that can battle infections within the human body"
The bots are running on windows nano™, viruses have nothing to fear.
Growing computer chips? Yes please!