The answer to this question is both yes and no. Firstly, Greenwood citizens should not attempt to power their laptop or PC with water droplets and magnets. No good will come from the endeavor, and they will likely be left with broken, non-functioning devices. Most electronics and H20 don’t mesh well. After all, how many times have you spilled liquid on your smartphone or tablet only to run for a bag of rice? The answer is probably too many times to count.
Magnets are almost as equally bad for computers. They can wipe out a Greenwood person’s hard drive if they aren’t careful. However, extensive damage typically requires an extremely powerful magnet. In other words, not the kind on your refrigerator at home. Still, though, it is best to play it safe and keep such pieces away from all of your electronics.
A New Breed Of Computer
With all that being said, it comes as quite a surprise to hear that a new computer is being built via an electromagnet and water droplets. When it comes to computers, most people think of them as machines that follow lists of instructions and run programs. The unit discussed in a recent document published by Nature Physics is not your everyday run of the mill device. It does not process data like modern electronic computers. Rather, this model manipulates tiny droplets of water.
Who Developed The Computer?
A bio-engineer at Stanford, Manu Prakash, and his students are the creators of this fascinating machine. The group placed small amounts of magnetic nanoparticles inside water droplets. Then, the drops distributed onto a stamp-sized metal maze. The magnetic droplets travel through the metal bar pathways, a movement that is equal to the ones and zeros of today’s computer code.
The team believes that one day, these tiny droplets can act similarly to test tubes. They hope that the pieces will allow biological components and chemicals to be analyzed quicker and easier than they are presently with current lab technology. Only time will tell if the computer is a success or not, but this one-of-a-kind unit is worth checking out.
Can Everyday Consumers Get Their Hands On The Device?
The developers are planning to release the physical computer design to the public. So, there is a good chance that Greenwood residents, and other people across the nation, might be able to create or buy one for themselves. However, as of right now, folks that want to see the machine in action will have to tune into the Stanford team’s video.
It is possible that different types of particles could be added to the droplets. According to Prakash, the droplets are like little bags that you can put anything you want inside. So, perhaps once the design goes public, an inventor could make changes to improve the functionality and capabilities of the computer. Of course, one must be careful not to infringe copyrights or break other laws though. All there is to do for now is wait and see if the device goes public.
Contact Finchum’s Computer Service to find out what is wrong with your device today.
