Antique Engines Inspire Nano Chip

The blueprint for a tiny, ultra-robust mechanical computer has been outlined by US researchers. The energy-efficient nano computer is inspired by ideas about computing first put forward nearly 200 years ago. The scientists say the machine would be built from nanometre-sized components, just billionths of a metre across. Chips based on the design could be used in places, such as car engines, where silicon can be too delicate