Abstract:
We consider as pertaining to Natural Computing (in some sense,
characterizing it) the following five domains: Neural Networks, Genetic Algorithms,
DNA Computing, Membrane Computing, and Quantum Computing.
The first two domains are well established, the last three are just now looking
for a place in the toolkit of practitioners. Here, we briefly introduce the last
three domains to the reader. The main point is that in all these areas one
aims at solving intractable (NP-complete) problems in polynomial (in many
cases, even linear) time. Taking into account that most significant practical
problems (optimization, scheduling, programming, combinatorial, etc.) are
intractable, it follows that the promises of Natural Computing should be
taken seriously.