Memcomputer chips could solve tasks that defeat conventional computers

The first practical example of a new kind of computer can complete calculations in minutes that would take a standard version longer than the age of the universe. This so-called digital memcomputer, which combines data storage and processing into a single component, could be a solution to the slowing pace of progress in traditional computer chips.

Theoretically, ordinary computers can solve any computational problem by carrying out single logical operations in a processor, storing the result in memory, and moving on to the …