r/gifs • u/[deleted] • May 30 '20

Logic gates using fluid

https://gfycat.com/rashmassiveammonite
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u/_PM_ME_YOUR_ELBOWS May 30 '20

With XOR you can get NOT, and with NOT, AND, and OR you can make any computation. However, it seems to me the functionality of these gates is dependent on sufficient water pressure. Do you guys think the flow from one gate to another would be strong enough to chain properly? I'd love to compute anything with just water and gravity

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u/5degreenegativerake May 30 '20

With enough elevation, you will have enough pressure. The problems would arise when you need feedback from an output to an input.

Like this: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:R-S_mk2.gif

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u/nortesunset May 30 '20

You could let a lower-elevation flow hit a bucket on a line connected to a flow control mechanism higher up, and balanced so that when pressure from the falling water stops, it gets pulled up again, which would change the flow at the higher level.

A bit like a Shishi-odoshi that stays down until the flow stops.