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Date: Tue, 20 Feb 1996 14:47 EDT From: "E. ALLEN SMITH" <EALLENSMITH@ocelot.Rutgers.EDU> Subject: Chaotic physical systems as random number sources
I'm curious if anyone knows of any attempts to use a chaotic physical system (such as the famous double pendulum) as a source of random numbers.
I have used magnetic pendulums for this as well as chaotic dripping (both with an old C64).
One problem that I can see is that of strange attractors. While the path through each time would be different, they're still _close_ to each other, and a practical mechanical system might not be sensitive enough to pick up the differences.
Not necessarily. In both the magentic pendulum and chaotic pendulums this is not a problem. Jim Choate ravage@ssz.com