Active element machine computation

A method comprising:

• receiving at first portion of a plurality of artificially constructed active man-made computing elements, which will be referred to as input elements, at least input data and a set of commands;
• the receiving causing the plurality of artificially constructed active man-made computing elements to send and receive messages as a result of implementing the set of commands,
• wherein the messages travel along artificially constructed communication lines, and
• wherein each artificially constructed communication line connects a pair of artificially constructed man-made computing elements from the plurality of artificially constructed man-made computing elements;
• the sending and receiving of messages causing a second portion of the plurality of artificially constructed active man-made computing elements, which will be referred to as output elements, to each have a content that represents output of the system, the content being based on the commands and on the content, the output data being a result of applying a transformation to the input data, the transformation being caused by the particular settings that result from implementing the commands.

A system comprising:

• an active man-made computing element capable of sending and receiving messages, wherein the active computing element includes at least
• an amplifier having an input and an output,
• a positive feed from the output to the input, and
• a switch for ending the positive feedback;
• the active man-made computing element being associated with a threshold, wherein if a combination of messages received is greater than the threshold, the active man-made computing element sends a message;
• and
• the active man-made computing element also being associated with a refractory period, wherein after sending a first message, the active man-made computing element waits until after the refractory period passes prior to sending a second message, the active-man-made computing element being part of a system including at least
• an artificially assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements;
• and
• a multiplicity of artificially constructed couplings communicatively connecting the artificially assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements to one another, such that the couplings are capable of transmitting messages between the artificial assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements;
• a first portion of the artificially assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements, which will be referred to as input elements, are capable of receiving input for the system that includes at least a set of instructions chosen by the user and input data, implementing the instructions causes parameters of the active man-made computing elements to be set to particular settings;
• and
• a second portion of the artificially assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements, which will be referred to as output elements, each have a content that represents output of the system, the content being based on the instructions and on the input data, the content being a result of applying a transformation to the input data, the transformation being caused by the particular settings that result from implementing the instructions.

A system comprising:

• an active man-made computing element capable of sending and receiving messages, wherein the active computing element comprises:
• an amplifier having an input and an output;
• a positive feed from the output to the input;
• and
• a switch for ending the positive feedback;
• the active man-made computing element being associated with a threshold, wherein if a combination of messages received at some time is less than the threshold, the active man-made computing element sends a message;
• and
• the active man-made computing element also being associated with a refractory period, wherein after sending a first message, the active man-made computing clement waits until after the refractory period passes prior to sending a second message.

A system comprising:

• an active man-made computing element capable of sending and receiving messages, wherein the active computing element comprises:
• an amplifier having an input to the output;
• a positive feed from the output to the input;
• and
• a switch for ending the positive feedback;
• the active man-made computing element being associated with a threshold interval, wherein if a combination of messages received at some is outside the range of a lower threshold and upper threshold, the active man-made computing element sends a message;
• and
• the active man-made computing element also being associated with a refractory period, wherein after sending a first message, the active man-made computing element waits until after the refractory period passes prior to sending a second message.

A system comprising:

• an active computing element capable of sending and receiving messages, wherein the active computing element comprises:
• an amplifier having an input and an output;
• a positive feed from the output to the input;
• and
• a switch for ending the positive feedback;
• the active man-made computing element being associated with a threshold interval, wherein if a combination of messages received at some time is inside the range of a lower threshold and upper threshold, the active man-made computing element sends a message;
• and
• the active man-made computing element also being associated with refractory period, wherein after sending a first message, the active man-made computing element waits until after the refractory period passes prior to sending a second message.

A method comprising:

• building a set of machines, wherein each machine includes artificially assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements connected to one or more of other man-made active elements of the collection, wherein each man-made active element is capable of sending and receiving messages, each machine including at least
• a first portion of the artificial assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements, which will be referred to as input elements, are capable of receiving input for the system that includes at least a set of instructions chosen by the user and input data, implementing the instructions causes parameters of the active man-made computing elements to be set to particular settings;
• and
• a second portion of the artificially assembled multiplicity of man-made computing elements, which will be referred to as output elements, each have a content that represents output of the system, the content being based on the instructions and on the input data, the content being a result of applying a transformation to the input data, the transformation being caused by the particular settings that result from implementing the instructions;
• and
• determining a value for an overall ability of a machine from the set to represent a given output based on a given input;
• storing the value;
• and
• randomly choosing at least two machines from the set wherein the process of randomly choosing is performed in a manner such that a probability of selecting a particular machine is proportional to the overall ability associated with the particular machine.

A system comprising:

• programmable hardware including at least
• a non-transient machine readable medium storing at least
• a user-defined set of commands that specify a set of parameters, where implementing the user-defined set of commands causes the parameters of the active computing elements to be set to the particular settings;
• and
• a set of active computing elements for sending and receiving messages, the set of active computing elements including at least
• an input unit for receiving
• the user-defined set of the commands, and
• input data, and
• an output unit for presenting output data that is based on the user defined set of the commands and on the input data, the output data being a result of applying a transformation to the input data, the transformation being caused by the particular settings that result from implementing the user-defined set of the commands.

A system comprising:

• programmable hardware including at least
• a machine readable medium storing at least a user-defined set of commands that specify a set of parameters, where implementing the user-defined commands causes the parameters of the active computing elements to c set to particular settings;
• a set of man-made hardware active computing elements for sending and receiving messages, the set of man-made hardware active computing elements including at least
• an input unit, that includes a first subset of the man-made hardware active elements, that receive
• the user-defined set of the commands, and
• input data, and
• an output unit, that includes a first subset of the man-made hardware active elements, that presents output data that is based on the commands and on the input data, the output data being a result of applying a transformation to the input data, the transformation being caused by the particular settings that result from implementing the commands.