OPTIMIZATION PROBLEMS

Summary from the TLDR newsletter

Microsoft's Analog Interactive Machine (AIM) uses both binary and continuous variables to solve problems of optimization at a lightning-fast pace. The system uses optics and electronics to process continuous value data and perform vector-matrix multiplications. Its components have been miniaturized to fit centimeter-scale chips - the AIM is no bigger than a rack enclosure. Optical computers could open up new fields of research while also reducing resources spent on performing complex calculations.