A 16-bit relay computer runs Pi and Dijkstra
Open Electronics covered a 16-bit relay computer built by Peter, running on self-holding relays at 24 V.
Executive Summary
Open Electronics covered a 16-bit relay computer built by Peter, running on self-holding relays at 24 V. The CPU is an accumulator design, so all math and load/store work passes through an ACCUmulator. The instruction set has 19 commands and three addressing modes, including indirect, which gives the programmer pointers and tables. Computing Pi to two decimal places took a little over 8 minutes and 1,377 instructions.
Open Silicon & Gate-Level Hardware Inspection
From a silicon and hardware engineering viewpoint: - **Interface Neutrality:** Mitigates dependency on proprietary BSPs, empowering open toolchains to address hardware directly. - **Supply Chain Verification:** Schematics and open pinouts allow deterministic audits against silicon errata. - **Lifecycle Decoupling:** Decouples physical hardware utility from commercial vendor end-of-life obsolescence.
Impact on the Open Ecosystem
Ensures that computational autonomy remains in the hands of the architect rather than closed silicon vendors.