Using analog computers in today’s largest computational challenges Sven Köppel1, Bernd Ulmann1, Lars Heimann1, and Dirk Killat1,2 1Anabrid GmbH, Am Stadtpark 3, 12167 Berlin, Germany 2Microelectronics Department, Brandenburg University of Technology, 03046 Cottbus, Germany Correspondence: Sven Köppel (
[email protected]) Abstract. Analog computers can be revived as a feasible oratory conditions but also the necessary error correction technology platform for low precision, energy efficient and schemes challenge practical quantum computers (Wilhelm fast computing. We justify this statement by measuring the et al., 2017). This currently negates any practical advan- performance of a modern analog computer and comparing it tage over silicon based digital computing. Furthermore, all with that of traditional digital processors. General statements of these alternative (or exotic) computer architectures share are made about the solution of ordinary and partial differen- the characteristic that they are fundamentally non-portable. tial equations. Computational fluid dynamics are discussed This means they will have to be located at large facilities and as an example of large scale scientific computing applica- dedicated special-purpose computing centers for a long time, tions. Several models are proposed which demonstrate the if not forever. This is not necessarily a practical drawback, benefits of analog and digital-analog hybrid computing. since the internet allows for delocalization of systems. In contrast to this, silicon based electronic analog com- puting is a technology with a rich history, which operates in a normal workplace environment (non-laboratory condi- 1 Introduction tions; Ulmann, 2020). Digital computers overtook their ana- log counterparts in the last century, primarily due to their Digital computing has transformed many — if not close to ever-increasing digital clock speeds and their flexibility that all — aspects of industry, humanities and science.