title: Heterotic computing: past, present and future.
abstract: We introduce and define 'heterotic computing' as a combination of two or more computational systems such that they provide an advantage over either substrate used separately. This first requires a definition of physical computation. We take the framework in Horsman et al. (Horsman et al. 2014 Proc. R. Soc. A 470, 20140182. (doi:10.1098/rspa.2014.0182)), now known as abstract-representation theory, then outline how to compose such computational systems. We use examples to illustrate the ubiquity of heterotic computing, and to discuss the issues raised when one or more of the substrates is not a conventional silicon-based computer. We briefly outline the requirements for a proper theoretical treatment of heterotic computational systems, and the advantages such a theory would provide.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics, Durham University, Durham DH1 3LE, UK.
authors.forename: Viv
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-6551-3056
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kendon
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK.
authors.forename: Angelika
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sebald
authors.affiliation: Department of Computer Science, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK York Centre for Complex Systems Analysis, University of York, York YO10 5DD, UK susan.stepney@york.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3146-5401
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stepney
keywords: heterotic computing; hybrid computing; unconventional computing