Physical requirements for scaling up network-based biocomputation

TL;DR

This paper analyzes the physical and energy-related challenges of scaling network-based biocomputation (NBC) to solve large NP-complete problems efficiently, providing foundational requirements and a roadmap for future development.

Contribution

It defines fundamental physical requirements for scaling NBC and offers a theoretical basis and guidance for advancing NBC technology.

Findings

Identifies key physical constraints for NBC scalability

Provides a set of criteria for future NBC device development

Establishes a theoretical framework for NBC roadmap

Abstract

The high energy consumption of electronic data processors, together with physical challenges limiting their further improvement, has triggered intensive interest in alternative computation paradigms. Here we focus on network-based biocomputation (NBC), a massively parallel approach that benefits from the energy efficiency of biological agents, such as molecular motors or bacteria, and their availability in large numbers. We analyse and define the fundamental requirements that need to be fulfilled to scale up NBC computers to become a viable technology that can solve large NP-complete problem instances faster or with less energy consumption than electronic computers. Our work can serve as a guide for further efforts to contribute to elements of future NBC devices, and as the theoretical basis for a detailed NBC roadmap.