arXiv subjects

Sunil P. Khatri

Publications and source records attributed to Sunil P. Khatri.

6 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

WINT: A Novel Weighted Integer Representation with Improved Error Characteristics

In computing, there is a need for number representation schemes that provide large dynamic range with low error. Many applications, including embedded systems and edge machine learning, have stringent memory constraints yet require large dynamic range for data representation. We present Weighted Integer (WINT), a simple and configurable mantissa exponent number format with user-selectable mantissa (m) and exponent (e) bit allocations (also referred to as configurations) that enables application-specific precision versus range tradeoffs at design time. We develop a complete analytical framework for computing Mean Relative Error (MRE), the primary metric for characterizing WINT's error. Since exact MRE calculations grow exponentially with mantissa size, we introduce harmonic and Taylor series approximation methods that achieve O(1) time complexity regardless of configuration. The Taylor series and harmonic approximations demonstrate significant speedups over the exact method while maintaining accuracy within 0.2% for the configurations presented. Our experiments across 8 to 32-bit configurations show that allocating 2 exponent bits consistently yields both lower MRE by 12-33% and 2X greater range than the integer baseline for bit widths of 12 and above. Allocating 3 exponent bits extends range by 16X while reducing MRE by 15-50% for bit widths of 16 and above

cs.AR↗

arXiv2026

The Dyson Minds 2025 Workshop: SETI around Black Holes

The Dyson Minds 2025 Workshop, held at the Center for Brains, Minds & Machines at MIT and organized by Penn State, MIT, and The Ultraintelligence Foundation, brought together researchers in astrophysics, engineering, artificial intelligence, computer science, and philosophy to examine "Dyson Minds" -- large-scale post-biological intelligences powered by energy harvested from supermassive black holes (SMBHs). Building on the ideas of F. J. Dyson (1960, 1966) and I. J. Good (1966), participants explored the physical, engineering, behavioral, and observational consequences of civilizations embodied as machinery operating near the universe's most powerful energy sources. The workshop aimed to develop new observational strategies capable of detecting signatures of such systems. Despite the highly cross-disciplinary scope, discussions centered on how a Dyson Mind might be constructed, how it might behave, and how those factors would shape strategies for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. Key themes included the thermodynamic, mechanical, and stability limits of Dyson swarms; the trade-offs between power availability and communication latency in distributed minds; and how observability changes depending on whether Dyson Minds act as coherent entities or as loosely coordinated collectives. Across these topics, the consensus was that details of architecture and behavior strongly influence observational signatures. A major recommendation was to apply anomaly-detection methods to archival datasets, including those from WISE, JWST, and the Event Horizon Telescope, to identify unusual sources potentially overlooked by standard reduction pipelines. By integrating insights from multiple disciplines, the meeting advanced concrete, observation-focused strategies for future technosignature searches around SMBHs.

astro-ph.GA↗

arXiv2016

Response to "Comment on 'Zero and negative energy dissipation at information-theoretic erasure'"

We prove that statistical information theoretic quantities, such as information entropy, cannot generally be interrelated with the lower limit of energy dissipation during information erasure. We also point out that, in deterministic and error-free computers, the information entropy of memories does not change during erasure because its value is always zero. On the other hand, for information-theoretic erasure - i.e., "thermalization" / randomization of the memory - the originally zero information entropy (with deterministic data in the memory) changes after erasure to its maximum value, 1 bit / memory bit, while the energy dissipation is still positive, even at parameters for which the thermodynamic entropy within the memory cell does not change. Information entropy does not convert to thermodynamic entropy and to the related energy dissipation; they are quantities of different physical nature. Possible specific observations (if any) indicating convertibility are at most fortuitous and due to the disregard of additional processes that are present.

cs.ET↗

arXiv2015

Zero and negative energy dissipation at information-theoretic erasure

We introduce information-theoretic erasure based on Shannon's binary channel formula. It is pointed out that this type of erasure is a natural energy-dissipation-free way in which information is lost in double-potential-well memories, and it may be the reason why the brain can forget things effortlessly. We also demonstrate a new non-volatile, charge-based memory scheme wherein the erasure can be associated with even negative energy dissipation; this implies that the memory's environment is cooled during information erasure and contradicts Landauer's principle of erasure dissipation. On the other hand, writing new information into the memory always requires positive energy dissipation in our schemes. Finally, we show a simple system where even a classical erasure process yields negative energy dissipation of arbitrarily large energy.

cs.ET↗

arXiv2015

Critical Remarks on Landauer's principle of erasure-dissipation

We briefly address Landauer's Principle and some related issues in thermal demons. We show that an error-free Turing computer works in the zero-entropy limit, which proves Landauer's derivation incorrect. To have a physical logic gate, memory or information-engine, a few essential components necessary for the operation of these devices are often neglected, such as various aspects of control, damping and the fluctuation-dissipation theorem. We also point out that bit erasure is typically not needed or used for the functioning of computers or engines (except for secure erasure).

physics.gen-ph↗

arXiv2010

Noise-based deterministic logic and computing: a brief survey

A short survey is provided about our recent explorations of the young topic of noise-based logic. After outlining the motivation behind noise-based computation schemes, we present a short summary of our ongoing efforts in the introduction, development and design of several noise-based deterministic multivalued logic schemes and elements. In particular, we describe classical, instantaneous, continuum, spike and random-telegraph-signal based schemes with applications such as circuits that emulate the brain's functioning and string verification via a slow communication channel.

physics.data-an↗