Fractal Antenna Systems Announces State-of-the-Art Computational Capability in Genetic Optimizer PC-Cluster.Business/Technology Editors Fractal Antenna A fractal antenna is an antenna that uses a fractal, self-similar design to maximize the length, or increase the perimeter (on inside sections or the outer structure), of material that can receive or transmit electromagnetic signals within a given total surface area or volume. Systems, Inc., a leading innovator of antenna and electronic innovation, today announced the launch of its third generation `GO Cluster' facility for solving problems in antenna and electronic design. The new capability offers unprecedented access to speedy solutions and embodies the power of fractals in optimization optimization Field of applied mathematics whose principles and methods are used to solve quantitative problems in disciplines including physics, biology, engineering, and economics. , as initially applied to antenna and electronic design. Fractals are intricate patterns built up in repeated steps from simple forms. Fractal antennas have, in the last two years, become the most successful hardware example of the power of fractal geometry fractal geometry, branch of mathematics concerned with irregular patterns made of parts that are in some way similar to the whole, e.g., twigs and tree branches, a property called self-similarity or self-symmetry. in real world applications. HOW IT WORKS The firm's GO Cluster is a hybrid of efficient hardware and software. At the heart of the hardware is a PC-based supercomputer supercomputer, a state-of-the-art, extremely powerful computer capable of manipulating massive amounts of data in a relatively short time. Supercomputers are very expensive and are employed for specialized scientific and engineering applications that must handle very similar to a `Beowulf' PC-cluster. The GO Cluster employs a dozen PCs (with the capability to add dozens more) and proprietary software to divide the problem into smaller parts that each PC attacks in parallel under master computer control. In 1994, scientist Dr. Randy Haupt introduced the use of genetic algorithms Genetic algorithms Search procedures based on the mechanics of natural selection and genetics. Such procedures are known also as evolution strategies, evolutionary programming, genetic programming, and evolutionary computation. (GA) to antenna and electromagnetic electromagnetic /elec·tro·mag·net·ic/ (-mag-net´ik) involving both electricity and magnetism. electromagnetic pertaining to or emanating from electromagnetism. design. GAs mimic natural selection, in algorithmic form, to find the best solution to a defined problem. Although dramatically successful as a tool, genetic algorithms are difficult to apply to complex problems and slow to execute because of the sheer number of parameters that need to be defined and explored. Fractal's CTO (Chief Technical Officer) The executive responsible for the technical direction of an organization. See CIO and salary survey. Dr. Nathan Cohen cohen or kohen (Hebrew: “priest”) Jewish priest descended from Zadok (a descendant of Aaron), priest at the First Temple of Jerusalem. The biblical priesthood was hereditary and male. , reported a way in 1997 to compress the number of parameters substantially by using a method called `fractal coding.' This makes solving complex optimization problems-whether in antenna design or in any other field requiring optimization--tractable with a fewer number of parameters. Cohen referred to the method as `fractal coded genetic optimization' or FRAGO FRAGO Fragmentary Order , and gave examples of application to antenna problems. In the last few years, Fractal's Chief Scientist, Dr. Robert Hohlfeld, melded the FRAGO approach to efficient software codes in antenna and electronic simulation. Along with the cluster hardware, the combined GO Cluster now possesses unique capabilities. "On the surface, it just looks like a rack of PCs", said Dr. Nathan Cohen. "But when you see that it is solving problems in hours which, just a couple of years ago, took half a year, it is a humbling tower of computational power." POWER TO SOLVE The GO Cluster has been primarily tasked with difficult antenna problems. In a matter of a few weeks the GO cluster has produced and assessed over 300,000 antenna designs to match best performance with application. Not only does it perform as a superlative design tool, it demonstrates real science, too. Notes Fractal's Dr. Hohlfeld: "Antenna engineering is evolving towards more complex designs. But there are always a few stalwarts who hold out against the odds, criticizing fractal design. By using the GO Cluster, which starts with simple non-fractal shapes, one can show that the better antenna--the one that meets the real application needs--incorporates fractal shapes. This is true for all but the simplest requirements. Such an unbiased assessment is a powerful verification of a new approach." Dr. Hohlfeld also notes that the GO Cluster is a more universal method to solve most optimization problems In computer science, an optimization problem is the problem of finding the best solution from all feasible solutions. More formally, an optimization problem  is a quadruple very rapidly, a common goal of many applied science disciplines, such as biotechnology, economics, and many others. The firm will also be using the GO Cluster in-house to solve electronic design problems, and will license the method and apparatus to companies outside its areas of interest. Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. has applied for patents on its GO Cluster method and apparatus. ABOUT FRACTAL Fractal Antenna Systems, Inc. is a next-generation antenna and electronics company that provides the Fractal Advantage(TM): solutions, products and IP licensing to OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) The rebranding of equipment and selling it. The term initially referred to the company that made the products (the "original" manufacturer), but eventually became widely used to refer to the organization that buys the products and manufacturers of wireless products. The company was founded in 1995 and now holds 3 U.S. patents (with 2 additional NOA's) as well as many pending patents, including foreign patents pending, on fractal antenna and electronics technology. The firm has seen high growth as fractal antenna technology becomes more widely known as the superior choice in the smaller-cheaper-multi/broadband environment of wireless, telecom, RFID (Radio Frequency IDentification) A data collection technology that uses electronic tags for storing data. The tag, also known as an "electronic label," "transponder" or "code plate," is made up of an RFID chip attached to an antenna. , and other fields. On the web at http://www.fractenna.com. ATTENTION: Business and Technology editors--photo available on request |
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