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1-bit CPU for ‘super low-performance computer’ launched – sells out promptly
(www.tomshardware.com)
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this post was submitted on 21 Dec 2023
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What's the purpose of this thing?
It's a computer in almost its simplest form.
There's almost nothing to it, the circuit diagram is easy to read, you program it literally by flipping a couple of dip switches.
It's kind of an experiment for someone wanting to get into retro computer or hardware design.
That said it's essentially useless and I would much rather buy a kit from Ben Eater start with a 6502 and make something that can actually run complex programs.
Even with just one bit and a few switches this seems like the sort of thing Picard could use to send an encoded message to Riker and Data in the future should the need arise.
Why not use well placed gold plate with impressions? Times gonna march on anyway, no need for power either.
Turn an LED on and off apparently.
ETA to someone setting up an array and running Doom or Linux?
3 months
How many for bad apple
Fun. It does not much, really. Two instructions (add, jump), parameters either 0 or 1, two instructions in total. It just shows how a computer works in general. All key signals are visible (Clock, Program Counter, Accumulator).
About as useful as a quantum computer, just way cheaper.
Education.
I teach an electronics class and a barebones version of this is one of the early logic gate labs: an SR latch built using NAND gates. It can set and reset a bit!
This is the perfect gadget for teaching electronics and logic.
If I was to teach such a class, I would set up exactly that circuit without telling them what it is, and let the kids find out: "You've got three LEDs and four DIP switches. Here you have a circuit diagram of it. What is this thing?"
AFAIK, they are used as relays.
From https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1-bit_computing#1-bit
See also the playlist linked in the other comment with more explanations:
1-Bit Breadboard Computer - Usagi Electric (YouTube)
Actual PLCs in the wild are industrial cabinets with a lot more capacity. Price-wise if you have a DIY project in mind you're better off buying a RISC-V microcontroller, under 10 bucks including board, with vastly more IO and processing power. Still not enough to replace one of those industrial cabinets, though, especially when it comes to IO capacity, do you have any idea how many sensors and actuators rollercoasters have.
This thing is so limited you have to engineer your problem to fit. Maybe something like switching your doorbell from normal to quiet to silent to flash lights. On the upside it's dead-simple.
Here is an alternative Piped link(s):
1-Bit Breadboard Computer - Usagi Electric (YouTube)
Piped is a privacy-respecting open-source alternative frontend to YouTube.
I'm open-source; check me out at GitHub.
mee seek and destroy…what’s is my purpose again?
Sorry, one bit isn't even going to pass butter...