Researchers create chemical "keypad lock" for biomolecular computers

Washington, March 25 : In what is being considered to be the first step towards the generation of ultra-powerful computers from DNA and enzymes, researchers in New York have created a chemical "keypad lock", the first ever chemical-based security systems of its kind.

Writing a report on the development of the key component for these "biomolecular computers", Evgeny Katz and his colleagues note that years of effort have gone into developing biomolecular computers, which rely on chemical reactions rather than silicon chips to perform logic functions.

The researchers say that such biomolecular computers may be used for the encryption of financial, military, and other confidential information.

They say that only those individuals will be able to unlock the file who have access to a secret chemical "key".

According to them, they have solved one part of this technological challenge, i.e. the security code.

The researchers identified a series of naturally occurring chemical reactions that act as a "keypad lock".

Lab tests conducted by them have shown that by adding the correct series of chemicals, the lock could be opened to access the computer.

However, adding the incorrect chemicals to the system acts as a wrong password and prevents access to the computer, say the researchers.

"In addition to the biomolecular security applications, the enzyme-based implication logic networks will be extremely important for making autonomous decisions on the use of specific tools/drugs in various implantable medical systems," the authors of the report say.

ANI