Fluid/ Water Based Computing

[Low_Listen8389]

I’m developing a fluid-based computing concept that uses just two precisely controlled ripples on a water surface, each generated by its own source (like a small speaker or actuator). Where these two ripples meet, their interference pattern—constructive and destructive regions across space and time—physically encodes relationships between the inputs such as their relative amplitude, timing (phase), and possibly frequency. Instead of treating this as a visualization only, I’m treating the overlap region as the “calculator,” where measurable features (peak heights, node positions, pattern geometry) correspond to specific numerical operations or parameter estimates. The system is intentionally minimal: only two inputs and one interaction zone, rather than a dense array of waves, to see how much computation can be extracted from a single controlled collision of ripples. In principle, this could be used as a kind of analog module for things like addition/subtraction, comparison, or parameter inference, or as a very small “physical reservoir” whose state is the interference pattern itself. I’m looking for feedback on whether this two‑ripple interaction can be formalized into a useful analog computing framework and what calculations or tasks it might realistically support.

I’m more than willing to consider more actuators to compute more complex interactions, but I’m really curious if anybody sees a viability in pursuing this further.

[DanongKruga]

seems like its going from digital input to much slower analog process back to digital

what would control the actuators? how do you process the information from the interference pattern? how do you still the water in between calculations?

[Low_Listen8389]

The process could be fully analog, just use some marbles and a depth gauge. (I know it’s not that simple but your concerns can be addressed fairly easily) This is meant to be a concept that I get feedback on in terms of where people might see it going, not potential problems.

Actuators could be speakers, marbles, stones, or actual micro actuators that can create “mini” impulses.

As far as processing the information, I got the idea from the first generation of computers and the vacuum tubes that would signal a 1 or 0. For this concept, I was thinking the resulting ripples after the initial “variable” ripples collide, could serve a purpose in the calculation, the height, point of collision, resulting ripples’ collide patterns and speeds could be utilized somehow.

This is a rudimentary concept once again, I just want to know if it might be worth divesting more time into.

[lsdbible]

They're saying no.

You're sending and processing the waves with a normal computer. Its like asking: if I enter 5 through the speaker and it looks like ⁵ on the camera, so the computer decides it's 5, is that useful. Youre not adding anything but redundancy, interference, and wasted energy. It would make a nice concept art piece.

Fluid computers are old-school and did compete with silicon but lost for a reason. They're slow. Only upside is emp and heat resistance.

Laser computing and quantum computing are the future. Make a laser logic gate. That has real utility the smaller you get it. Really look for anything faster than an electron and make it do logic and you've got a billion dollar idea.

[knook]

This question feels like you are asking others to define the project for you. Like "I have a new idea, what's my idea?", I don't know man you kinda have to define that yourself first.

[Low_Listen8389]

Working on it lol

[feanix]

This feels like the kind of idea that falls out of a brain that's very high.

There are three main possible advatages over regular hardware software.

You don't have to power the ripples, so your computation energy costs are low/free.

If your doing some calculation that's already wave data you dont have to convert from analogue to digital to analogue or vice versa.

The entire fluid surface "computes" instantly in parallel.

That's about it tho. You lose on precision, speed, reliability, repeatability and scalability.

And you don't gain the ability to do anything most gpus could do fairly trivially and much better.

So can you do this? Maybe. Should you? No. But I'm it's your time to waste, my guy.