X-Message-Number: 13329 From: "John de Rivaz" <> References: <> Subject: nanopower Date: Tue, 29 Feb 2000 11:29:05 -0000 ----- Original Message ----- > Message #13324 > Date: Mon, 28 Feb 2000 11:03:27 -0500 (EST) > From: Charles Platt <> > Subject: nanopower > > > From: "Paul Michael" <> > > It may not be a requirement that nano machines will require high > > levels of "on board" computing power. They may simply need to be able > > to communicate with such an entity. > > Sigh. As I pointed out in a previous message, Drexler himself has > acknowledged in his books that the bandwidth for communication between the > assemblers and any external computing engine is likely to be limited. > This limits the ability of the outside computer to see what the assemblers > see, and tell them precisely what to do. For similar reasons, the Mars > rover was autonomous in many respects. Surely the problem with robots on another planet is the time delay when using a means of communication along the only available straight line with finite speed (ie radio - the best there is so far). I have not read all of Drexler's books. In his calculations, does he only consider each assembler broadcasting in every direction, or has he considered directed transmissions from unit to unit? The latter system, first proposed in the 1960s, enables wireless communication to have some of the features of cabled communication, ie re-use of bandwidth by keeping transmissions enclosed on a route so that they don't interfere with each other. -- Sincerely, John de Rivaz my homepage links to Longevity Report, Fractal Report, my singles club for people in Cornwall, music, Inventors' report, an autobio and various other projects: http://geocities.yahoo.com/longevityrpt Rate This Message: http://www.cryonet.org/cgi-bin/rate.cgi?msg=13329