Researchers at North Carolina State University have developed a mechanical Kirigami computer that works without electricity and can replace electronic devices for certain tasks.

The Kirigami computer consists of 64 interconnected cubes that are only 1 cm wide and high. The cubes are arranged so that their geometry represents the data. Data manipulation (or editing) is done by pushing the cubes up or down, which changes the geometry of the connected cubes. The 64-cube computer can be used separately or connected to additional 64-cube Kirigami computers to increase the complexity and increase the capacity of the data storage system, informs techno.nv.ua.

As the name suggests, the Kirigami computer was inspired by the Japanese paper folding art of the same name, which allows you to create 3D structures. According to Jie Yin, an associate professor at North Carolina State University, the goal of the Kirigami computer is to develop a stable mechanical system for data storage. The main focus of the Kirigami computer is binary computing. However, there is potential in the future for complex computations, with the possibility of developing the Kirigami computer into a five-state computer.

Kirigami is immune to vulnerabilities that electronic computers are prone to, such as remote hacking, and does not consume electricity at all. If the Kirigami computer completes the research phase, it could be used to replace today's electronic computers for certain tasks, such as data storage as a backup machine for governments, banks and companies.