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THE FUTURE OF COMPUTING 2. Quantum Computing

It uses quantum bits, or qubits, which are the physical carrier of
Innovations for the Future of Computing quantum information. Compared to a traditional bit, one (1) qubit
is equivalent to two (2) bits meaning that 2n where n is the qubit
Moore’s Law predicts that the number of transistors in an integrated value.
circuit doubles every two years as technological advances continue. It
means that every two years, electronic devices can do twice as many Using subatomic particles, quantum computers can represent
new and innovative functions as before. different states simultaneously. These particles will then be
controlled by the rules of probability and not absolute states or
It was observed by Gordon Moore in 1965, who saw that the size of logic gates.
transistors was rapidly shrinking due to continuous innovation.
Controlling small subatomic particles allow researchers to solve
For example, a computer chip that contained 2,000 transistors that problems, such as identifying drug properties, performing complex
cost P50,000 in 1970 became P25,000 in 1972, P12,500 in 1974, and computations, and helping chip designers create impossibly
P48.50 in 1990. Nowadays, it costs less than P1.00 to manufacture complex circuits.
today.
3. DNA Computing
Innovations for the Future of Computing As computers can only analyze one potential answer at a time,
the advancements in DNA computing due to parallel processing
However, in 2015, Gordon Moore stated that Moore’s Law would not made analyzing all possible answers at once available. It is
be as reliable in the next decade as companies slowly shift focus possible as DNA data storage can put all the information into the
toward non-silicon computing which may result in substantial tiniest storage.
efficiency gains soon.
The developments are extraordinarily stable as scientists used a
These are the following innovations in the computing industry: scrap of bone to reconstruct the genome of a cave bear that died
300 millennia ago. Other features include DNA fingerprinting and
1. Graphene-based Transistors decoding strategic information such as banking, military, and
Graphene is a thin one-atom-thick sheet that is more conductive communications data.
than any other known material. It can be rolled up into tiny tubes
called nanotubes and combined with other 2D materials to move 4. Neuromorphic Technology
electrons quickly, requiring lesser space and energy than the It aims to create a computer that imitates the architecture of the
smallest silicon transistor. human brain with much lesser energy than a traditional transistor.

Producing nanotubes is too complicated and error-prone to be In 2020, Intel released a new server based on neuromorphic chips
commercially viable. But in 2019, a process for creating a 16-bit with the same neural capacity as a small mammal’s brain.
carbon nanotube microprocessor was developed. It successfully International researchers have already linked artificial and
executed a set of commands that printed the message, “Hello, biological neurons to communicate like a biological nervous
World!” It removed limitations and complications in nanotubes, system based on internet protocols.
making them accessible to factories in less than five (5) years.

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5. Optical Computing Collapse OS: Operating System After the World Ends
It uses photons by mapping data onto light-intensity levels and
then changing the light intensity to perform calculations allowing A programmer has decided that creating a versatile and survivable
optical computing at the nanoscale possible at the speed of light. operating system is as important as stocking food and other living
Although still in an early development phase, this could enable essentials after a societal collapse. This operating system is called
high-efficiency and low-power processing data transmission Collapse OS.

Optical computers may use fiber-optic cables, optical chips, or It is an open-source operating system made explicitly once the worse
wireless optical networks to process and transmit data. has happened on Earth. According to Virgil Dupras, a software
developer, people will need Collapse OS to reconfigure their damaged
6. Distributed Computing smartphones.
The current peak of this model is the Folding@home which
models protein molecules to discover cures for serious diseases Creation
such as Alzheimer’s, cancer, and COVID-19.
In 2019, Dupras envisioned the collapse of the global supply chain by
The project has amassed nearly 750,000 participants with a 2030, where populations will not be able to produce electronics
collective of 1.5 exaflops of power, allowing quintillion calculations anymore. He predicts that political and social power remains and that
per second. It has 75% of the projected speed of the El Capitan anyone who can scavenge electronic devices will have huge
supercomputer, which will be deemed the world’s fastest advantages.
supercomputer by 2023.
Features and Functions
The future of computing will be shaped by transistors made
from materials other than silicon amplified by approaches unrelated to Collapse OS will run on Z80 8-bit microprocessors. Z80 8-bit are found
transistor speed, such as deep-learning software and the ability to in desktop computers, cash registers, and graphing calculators,
crowdsource excess computing power to create supercomputers. though less common today than 16- and 32-bit components.

All the technology and innovations for the future mentioned may even Collapse OS will allow the following:
redefine computing itself as we know it. • Run on minimal and improvised machines.
• Interface through improvised means like a keyboard and display.
• Compile assembler source files
• Read and write from a range of storage devices.
• Edit text files.
• Replicate itself.

It can self-replicate with enough RAM and storage, read SD cards,

and has a simple text editor. The kernels are modules connected with
glue code to make the system flexible and adaptable.

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Here is the detailed roadmap for the direction of the project:

• Support for 8080 and 6502 CPUs
• Support LCD screens and E-ink displays.
• Support storage options such as floppies, CDs, and RAM/ROMs.
• Support for TI-83+ and TI-84+ graphing calculators and TRS-80s.

Conclusion

The goal is to initiate a post-collapse civilization’s return to the

computer age.

Electronics production relies on a complex supply chain that, once it

crumbles, will return humankind to a less technical age and face
difficulties in regaining the previous technical position. Dupras hopes
to skip several steps by creating an operating system that will work
with simpler chips that can be scavenged from various sources.

References:
CFI (2020). Moore’s law. [Web Article]. Retrieved on July 25, 2022, from
https://corporatefinanceinstitute.com/resources/knowledge/other/moore
s-law/
CFI (2022). Computers, Future of. [Web Article]. Retrieved on July 25, 2022,
from https://www.encyclopedia.com/education/news-wires-white-
papers-and-books/computers-future
Paul, J. (2019). Collapse OS: An OS created to run after the world ends
[Web Article]. Retrieved on July 25, 2022, from
https://itsfoss.com/collapse-os/
Wellers, D. (n.d.a.). 6 surprising innovations for the future of computing.
[Web Article]. Retrieved on July 25, 2022, from
https://insights.sap.com/6-surprising-innovations-for-the-future-of-
computing/

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