This book is a single-source reference to the issues involved in the Landauer principle, which has gained new prominence recently, due to the large amount of heat generated by today's computers. If Landauer's principle is correct, there may be ways to build computers that dissipate far less power (corresponding to heat generated) than today's computers. This book brings together all sides of the discussions regarding Landauer's principle, both theoretical and experimental, empowering readers to gain better understanding of dissipation in computation, and the limits if any to progress in computation related to energy dissipation. It represents the best and most thorough examination of the important issue of Landauer's principle that is available in one volume. Provides an in-depth investigation of the Landauer principle and how it relates to the possible existence of lower bounds on dissipation in computation; Gathers together both sides of the discussion: those who agree with Landauer and his conclusions, and those who think that Landauer was not correct, offering fresh perspective on the issues in the new light of experiments; Offers insight into the future of silicon CMOS and the limits if any to progress in computation related to energy dissipation.

This book is loosely based on a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) project and a few supplemental projects sponsored by the Of?ce of Naval Research (ONR) during the time frame of 2004-2009. The initial technical scope and vision of the MURI project was formulated by Drs. Larry Cooper and Joel Davis, both program of?cers at ONR at the time. The unifying theme of this MURI project and its companionefforts is the concept of cellular nonlinear/neuralnetwork (CNN) technology and its various extensions and chip implementations, including nanoscale sensors and the broadening ?eld of cellular wave computing. In recent years, CNN-based vision system drew much attention from vision scientists to device technologists and computer architects. Due to its early - plementation in a two-dimensional (2D) topography, it found success in early vision technologyapplications, such as focal-plane arrays, locally adaptable sensor/ processor integration, resulting in extremely high frame rates of 10,000 frames per second. More recently it drew increasing attention from computer architects, due to its intrinsic local interconnect architecture and parallel processing paradigm. As a result, a few spin-off companies have already been successful in bringing cel- lar wave computing and CNN technology to the market. This book aims to capture some of the recent advances in the ?eld of CNN research and a few select areas of applications.

This book is loosely based on a Multidisciplinary University Research Initiative (MURI) project and a few supplemental projects sponsored by the Of?ce of Naval Research (ONR) during the time frame of 2004-2009. The initial technical scope and vision of the MURI project was formulated by Drs. Larry Cooper and Joel Davis, both program of?cers at ONR at the time. The unifying theme of this MURI project and its companionefforts is the concept of cellular nonlinear/neuralnetwork (CNN) technology and its various extensions and chip implementations, including nanoscale sensors and the broadening ?eld of cellular wave computing. In recent years, CNN-based vision system drew much attention from vision scientists to device technologists and computer architects. Due to its early - plementation in a two-dimensional (2D) topography, it found success in early vision technologyapplications, such as focal-plane arrays, locally adaptable sensor/ processor integration, resulting in extremely high frame rates of 10,000 frames per second. More recently it drew increasing attention from computer architects, due to its intrinsic local interconnect architecture and parallel processing paradigm. As a result, a few spin-off companies have already been successful in bringing cel- lar wave computing and CNN technology to the market. This book aims to capture some of the recent advances in the ?eld of CNN research and a few select areas of applications.

This book is a single-source reference to the issues involved in the Landauer principle, which has gained new prominence recently, due to the large amount of heat generated by today's computers. If Landauer's principle is correct, there may be ways to build computers that dissipate far less power (corresponding to heat generated) than today's computers. This book brings together all sides of the discussions regarding Landauer's principle, both theoretical and experimental, empowering readers to gain better understanding of dissipation in computation, and the limits if any to progress in computation related to energy dissipation. It represents the best and most thorough examination of the important issue of Landauer's principle that is available in one volume. Provides an in-depth investigation of the Landauer principle and how it relates to the possible existence of lower bounds on dissipation in computation; Gathers together both sides of the discussion: those who agree with Landauer and his conclusions, and those who think that Landauer was not correct, offering fresh perspective on the issues in the new light of experiments; Offers insight into the future of silicon CMOS and the limits if any to progress in computation related to energy dissipation.