Jordan Taylor explores fluidic logic—computing with air and fluids instead of electronics. The article traces pneumatic computing from Harvard's Octobot, a soft robot powered by hydrogen peroxide, through historical aircraft like the DC-10 that used fluidic logic for mechanical control systems, demonstrating that complex computation doesn't require silicon or electricity.
The article explores fluidic logic, a computing method using pressurized air and fluids instead of electronics. It traces the concept from the DC-10 airliner's thrust reverser system to modern applications like the Octobot, a pneumatic octopus-shaped device, demonstrating that complex machines can operate without silicon, electricity, or moving parts.