BOINC Central: Difference between revisions

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* BOINC Central supports widely-used science applications. Initially we are supporting Autodock Vina from the Scripps Research Institute. We build versions of these applications for a range of computing platforms: different operating systems, CPU types, and GPU types.

* Scientists from academic research institutions can submit batches of jobs for these applications using a web interface. [https://boinc.berkeley.edu/central/about.php]

== Sub Projects ==

# '''''Boolean chains'''''My name is Oliver, I'm interested in maths, computer science, and combinatorial problems.

I've been studying [https://www.informit.com/store/art-of-computer-programming-volumes-1-4b-boxed-set-9780137935109 The Art of Computer Programming] by Donald E. Knuth, working on some of the exercises and some of the open problems. In Volume 4A, chapter 7.1.2 the topic of boolean chains comes up. Basically, it's about a chain of boolean operations on some input values x_1, ..., x_n and intermediate results of those operations, such that a set of desired functions f_1, ..., f_m on those inputs can be evaluated. The goal is to make such a chain as small as possible, because that makes for small circuitry with fewer parts.

One example Knuth chose is the segments of a digital display, as we know it from (somewhat dated) alarm clocks or quartz watches. The inputs are the four bits of a number 0 to 15 (we want hexadecimal digits) and the seven output functions are whether each of the segments of the display should be turned on or off for that digit.

[[File:16-digits-segments-small.png|frameless]]

My goal is to find the minimal boolean chain for this problem, hoping to come up with some new algorithms or speed improvements to make this feasible; so that similar problems can be solved in the future. I've already found shorter boolean chains with an algorithm described on the website below, but to prove it is optimal I need to do an exhaustive search. I also suspect that there still are chains that are ONE step shorter than the one I found, based on the trajectory of smaller problems already solved, but for that I also need the exhaustive search.

Details of the project: https://orunge.org/boolean-chains/

I've already covered a large search space with my own machine and AWS Batch, but that approach will be too costly. That's where I hope BOINC Central can help!

Results can be tracked here: https://orunge.org/boolean-chains/#results-full

== Project team / Sponsors ==

[[wikipedia:David_P._Anderson|'''''David P. Anderson''''']]. Operated by [https://boinc.berkeley.edu/ '''''B'''erkeley '''O'''pen '''I'''nfrastructure for '''N'''etwork '''C'''omputing'']

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 * BOINC Central supports widely-used science applications. Initially we are supporting Autodock Vina from the Scripps Research Institute. We build versions of these applications for a range of computing platforms: different operating systems, CPU types, and GPU types.
 * Scientists from academic research institutions can submit batches of jobs for these applications using a web interface. [https://boinc.berkeley.edu/central/about.php]
+== Sub Projects ==
+# '''''Boolean chains'''''My name is Oliver, I'm interested in maths, computer science, and combinatorial problems.
+I've been studying [https://www.informit.com/store/art-of-computer-programming-volumes-1-4b-boxed-set-9780137935109 The Art of Computer Programming] by Donald E. Knuth, working on some of the exercises and some of the open problems. In Volume 4A, chapter 7.1.2 the topic of boolean chains comes up. Basically, it's about a chain of boolean operations on some input values x_1, ..., x_n and intermediate results of those operations, such that a set of desired functions f_1, ..., f_m on those inputs can be evaluated. The goal is to make such a chain as small as possible, because that makes for small circuitry with fewer parts.
+One example Knuth chose is the segments of a digital display, as we know it from (somewhat dated) alarm clocks or quartz watches. The inputs are the four bits of a number 0 to 15 (we want hexadecimal digits) and the seven output functions are whether each of the segments of the display should be turned on or off for that digit.
+[[File:16-digits-segments-small.png|frameless]]
+My goal is to find the minimal boolean chain for this problem, hoping to come up with some new algorithms or speed improvements to make this feasible; so that similar problems can be solved in the future. I've already found shorter boolean chains with an algorithm described on the website below, but to prove it is optimal I need to do an exhaustive search. I also suspect that there still are chains that are ONE step shorter than the one I found, based on the trajectory of smaller problems already solved, but for that I also need the exhaustive search.
+Details of the project: https://orunge.org/boolean-chains/
+I've already covered a large search space with my own machine and AWS Batch, but that approach will be too costly. That's where I hope BOINC Central can help!
+Results can be tracked here: https://orunge.org/boolean-chains/#results-full
 == Project team / Sponsors ==
 [[wikipedia:David_P._Anderson|'''''David P. Anderson''''']]. Operated by [https://boinc.berkeley.edu/ '''''B'''erkeley '''O'''pen '''I'''nfrastructure for '''N'''etwork '''C'''omputing'']