Biological Computer Means A New Era In Computing

Scientists belonging to US and researching in the Scripps Research Institute in California and the Technion-Israel Institute Of Technology have jointly been reported to have created world’s first “biological computer”. This computer is made from biomolecules and it is capable of deciphering images encoded on the DNA chips. On using appropriate software for the biological computer, it was found to decrypt fluorescent images of Scripps Research Institute and Technion logos. For the first time, molecular cryptosystem of images were experimentally demonstrated which was based on DNA computing. Complex biological molecules act as both hardware and software in these devices and at the same time they activate each other to carry some pre-programmed chemical work.

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World's First Biological Computer

Basically, the input molecule transforms into another molecule after undergoing predetermined and specific changes following a set of rules at the same time as programmed in the software. Chemical components are mixed in a tube to form a solution. Thereafter other dna molecules along with pre-decided enzymes and ATP are also mixed. The enzymes and ATP act as the energy for the device. The solution is too clear to notice anything peculiar happening in it. The molecules on their own interact with one another and the researchers can then finetune the whole process as required by improving and experimenting with DNA types and enzymes present in the mixture. This biological computing device’s design is based on the 75-year old design which Alan Turing, the famous English Mathematician, cryptanalyst and mathematician had designed.