Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation

Many organisms capitalize on their ability to predict the environment to maximize available free energy and reinvest this energy to create new complex structures. This functionality relies on the manipulation of patterns—temporally ordered sequences of data. Here, we propose a framework to describe...

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Main Authors: Vedral, Vlatko, Gu, Mile, Garner, Andrew J. P., Thompson, Jayne
Other Authors: School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: 2018
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Online Access:https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87402
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/44452
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Institution: Nanyang Technological University
Language: English
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spelling sg-ntu-dr.10356-874022023-02-28T19:33:56Z Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation Vedral, Vlatko Gu, Mile Garner, Andrew J. P. Thompson, Jayne School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences Complexity Institute Complex Structure Internal Memory Many organisms capitalize on their ability to predict the environment to maximize available free energy and reinvest this energy to create new complex structures. This functionality relies on the manipulation of patterns—temporally ordered sequences of data. Here, we propose a framework to describe pattern manipulators—devices that convert thermodynamic work to patterns or vice versa—and use them to build a “pattern engine” that facilitates a thermodynamic cycle of pattern creation and consumption. We show that the least heat dissipation is achieved by the provably simplest devices, the ones that exhibit desired operational behavior while maintaining the least internal memory. We derive the ultimate limits of this heat dissipation and show that it is generally nonzero and connected with the pattern's intrinsic crypticity—a complexity theoretic quantity that captures the puzzling difference between the amount of information the pattern's past behavior reveals about its future and the amount one needs to communicate about this past to optimally predict the future. NRF (Natl Research Foundation, S’pore) MOE (Min. of Education, S’pore) Published version 2018-02-26T04:52:53Z 2019-12-06T16:41:05Z 2018-02-26T04:52:53Z 2019-12-06T16:41:05Z 2017 Journal Article Garner, A. J. P., Thompson, J., Vedral, V., & Gu, M. (2017). Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation. Physical Review E, 95(4), 042140. 1539-3755 https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87402 http://hdl.handle.net/10220/44452 10.1103/PhysRevE.95.042140 en Physical Review E © 2017 American Physical Society (APS). This paper was published in Physical Review E and is made available as an electronic reprint (preprint) with permission of American Physical Society (APS). The published version is available at: [http://dx.doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevE.95.042140]. One print or electronic copy may be made for personal use only. Systematic or multiple reproduction, distribution to multiple locations via electronic or other means, duplication of any material in this paper for a fee or for commercial purposes, or modification of the content of the paper is prohibited and is subject to penalties under law. 20 p. application/pdf
institution Nanyang Technological University
building NTU Library
continent Asia
country Singapore
Singapore
content_provider NTU Library
collection DR-NTU
language English
topic Complex Structure
Internal Memory
spellingShingle Complex Structure
Internal Memory
Vedral, Vlatko
Gu, Mile
Garner, Andrew J. P.
Thompson, Jayne
Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
description Many organisms capitalize on their ability to predict the environment to maximize available free energy and reinvest this energy to create new complex structures. This functionality relies on the manipulation of patterns—temporally ordered sequences of data. Here, we propose a framework to describe pattern manipulators—devices that convert thermodynamic work to patterns or vice versa—and use them to build a “pattern engine” that facilitates a thermodynamic cycle of pattern creation and consumption. We show that the least heat dissipation is achieved by the provably simplest devices, the ones that exhibit desired operational behavior while maintaining the least internal memory. We derive the ultimate limits of this heat dissipation and show that it is generally nonzero and connected with the pattern's intrinsic crypticity—a complexity theoretic quantity that captures the puzzling difference between the amount of information the pattern's past behavior reveals about its future and the amount one needs to communicate about this past to optimally predict the future.
author2 School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
author_facet School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences
Vedral, Vlatko
Gu, Mile
Garner, Andrew J. P.
Thompson, Jayne
format Article
author Vedral, Vlatko
Gu, Mile
Garner, Andrew J. P.
Thompson, Jayne
author_sort Vedral, Vlatko
title Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
title_short Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
title_full Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
title_fullStr Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
title_full_unstemmed Thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
title_sort thermodynamics of complexity and pattern manipulation
publishDate 2018
url https://hdl.handle.net/10356/87402
http://hdl.handle.net/10220/44452
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