Mechanical Computing Systems Using Only Links and Rotary Joints

> A key performance metric of computers is their energy dissipation. One contribution to dissipation is friction at the rotary joints in each logic gate. Due to the joint’s small frictional drag, mechanical computers constructed from them can, in principle, dissipate orders of magnitude less power than conventional semiconductor computers, while still operating at relatively high speeds. This claim seems dubious, perhaps someone has more expertise to comment. The justification > Operating this lock involves…

This reminds me of Drexler's early nanotechnology work. They need to fabricate something, anything, to validate that they can get those devices to work at that scale. Things are not Newtonian down there.