Non-Electronic Logic Gates

Logic gates for computation can be constructed of various materials; they don't have to be made of silicon chips with electronic transistors. Some examples:

1. Blikstein's simple water gates: see

http://www.techrepublic.com/blog/geekend/the-mit-water-computer-see-ya-electrons/540.


2. An elaboration of this: a form of microfluidics(not nanofluidics): the running of water or steam through micrometre-scale tubes.

3. Use of light along fiberoptic cables, with mechanical switching, or switching using miniaturized (125-200 nm thick) solar sails (if that's possible) made of CP1 or aluminum-reinforced Mylar. The sails would have to be extremely small and light for the minute amount of light coming along the cable to move them into their 'output' position. (See http://science.howstuffworks.com/solar-sail.htm.) Extremely difficult, but may be something here. (Of course, too, light is an electromagnetic material, but since it's neither electronic nor electric precisely we might allow it.)

General reservation re quantum nanotechnology: Since below the 50-nanometre scale the quantum size effect enters, and nanotechnology is often defined as working with matter on the scale of 100 nm or smaller, it would be best to keep to the >125 nm scale, so we continue to work with micro- not nano (quantum)-tech. This is because of the ethical and ecological problems with quantum nanotech, as well as it not having been evaluated before being commercialized -- an egregious error that endangers technological progress generally. For more that's critical of nanotech, see the ETC Group: www.etcgroup.org. You can find celebrations of nanotech anywhere, but for some degree of thoughtfulness in supporting the technology, see the Foresight Institute: www.foresight.org.