http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emW1TQ290ec

the point is:

"The physical world performs computations all the time; springs compute a restorative force, capacitors integrate current, and cells compute responses to stimuli. As we attempt to better understand natural processes (e.g. morphogenesis, immune system), we must understand the computations they perform. Further, we can potentially bring the benefits of engineered design to physical objects by controlling the computation they perform:

- smart materials – provide new properties to physical matter by controlling the computation and response
- synthetic biology – engineers the computation inside cells to control molecular synthesis or response systems
- programmable matter – forms physical shapes and objects which interact with the world as the output of a computation."
http://www.spatial-computing.org/

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Mandtugai!

They don't compute. We describe natural behavior with mathematics.

Since military tech always advances 10-30 years beyond than "real" tech this thing likely getting experimented and/or prototyped somewhere in america.

Todays everybody's toy Google Earth was military toy during early 70s so I heard.

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Mandtugai!

Microprocessors on military aircrafts are two generations behind PCs because the military want them to be absolutely bug free.
Tullio

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Actually those jet fighters are far more upgradable than any normal consumer tech. But there can be various spotty developments here and there throughout their sectors depending on various considerations.

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Mandtugai!

The astronauts on Shuttle missions used to carry their laptops, far more advanced than the on board computers, one of which also failed during a recent mission. But there were backup systems, of course.
Tullio

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