Alt-BEAM Archive

Message #03405



To: George Rix rix.g@bmts.com, BEAM List beam@corp.sgi.com
From: Dennison dennlill@buffnet.net
Date: Wed, 19 May 1999 22:10:31 -0400
Subject: [alt-beam] Re: Answer.Tricore info question



Good question! The answer, as I understand it to be, is really infact quite
simple yet interesting. SEe, when we think about digital logic components we
tend to think of everything as being in a "perfect world" and as we know,
nothing is. Nor is digital logic, we would like to think that when the
voltage on the input of an inverter goes high the output instantly goes low.
But it doesn't. All parts are rated at a specific switching speed, thats why
computers run based on MHZ and some logic families are touted as 'faster
than others' (which some are). So thats why a tricore can work, although in
a stranger fashion. Because there is a slight lag in propogation times
through the inverters, an odd number of neurons can exist in a working core.
Do you get it? If you were to think about it visually, it's like the led's
on the core don't quite manage to 'catch up'. They chase each other faster,
but they manage to keep out of the way. In some fashion, I suppose each
neuron becomes a 'rollercoaster point', as defined in Living Machines.

dennison


>I have a question about microcores that have an odd number of neurons. Even
>though they aren't useful to me at this point in time, I'd like to know how
>they can work. It would seem to me that you would have conflicting pulses.
>But then maybe you arrange it so only one pulse is going around with a PNC
>of some sort.
>Thanks for your time, I really did look for it on the net, but couldn't
find
>anything. Maybe I just didn't look hard enough.
>Anyhow,
>Signing off,
>Rob Rix
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
>'Your simian countenance suggests a heritage unusually rich in species
>diversity' - Calvin & Hobbes, by Bill Watterson


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