8-bit programmable computer
| 8-bit programmable computer | |||||||
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| Pattern type | Miscellaneous | ||||||
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| Number of cells | 1571767 | ||||||
| Bounding box | 311607 × 303995 | ||||||
| Static symmetry | Unspecified | ||||||
| Discovered by | Nicolas Loizeau | ||||||
| Year of discovery | 2016 | ||||||
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8-bit programmable computer is an implementation of an 8-bit computer in Conway's Game of Life designed and built in 2016 by Nicolas Loizeau.[1]
An improved scalable version of the design with optimized circuitry, a 32x32 display, and instructions to handle arrays was created in 2021.[2]
Architecture
The computer supports eight variables and 13 instructions -- write, goto, move, jumpif, print, add, or, and, xor, not, flat, sign, and increment. The computer is programmed by changing the arrangement of structures in its Program area.
The improved version possesses two more instructions, shift and rotate, as well as a display that uses disp and erase instructions.
Comparison with other computer patterns
- The 8-bit programmable computer is considerably simpler than the Spartan universal computer-constructor, in large part because it does not contain a universal-construction component.
- It is easy to program with the help of the associated Python utility script, assembly.py, and associated resources which can be found in the project's GitHub repository.[3][4]
- It is capable of performing standard 8-bit AND, OR, XOR, and NOT operations using any of its eight variables. The improved version can process up to 128 variables, each of which can be 8-bit, 16-bit, or 32-bit. Additionally, the improved version can use its variables as addresses that can be read from or written to.
References
- ↑ Nicolas Loizeau (19 November 2016). "Programmable computer". Retrieved on 30 October 2019.
- ↑ Nicolas Loizeau (October 12, 2021). "New scalable programmable computer". Retrieved on 14 October 2021.
- ↑ Nicolas Loizeau (18 November 2018). "GOL computer". Retrieved on 30 October 2019.
- ↑ Nicolas Loizeau (12 October 2021). "Scalable GOL computer". Retrieved on 14 October 2021.