Alternative POW With Optical Computing. A conducive mining climate, still decentralized, has been the backstop for the success and security of bitcoin. Over time and development, the developmental climate also has the potential to become centralized because of the strength of large capital or a certain group that successfully has the amount of mining computing close to 50%.
Background
Strength of capital or the group has the potential to master the mining ecosystem by enlarging the amount of computing power (hashrate) bitcoin network. In this case, the group, or the power of large capital is the greatest influence comes from the producers of bitcoin mining devices that are now dominated by ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits).
ASIC mining equipment dominates the bitcoin mining ecosystem because of its efficiency and effectiveness in performing certain computations for bitcoin mining compared to the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit).
Monopoly Hashrate and ASIC Devices
One of the big ASIC vendors, Bitmain, later became a party that monopolized many mining ecosystems through its manufacturer ASIC device. In the bitcoin network, Bitmain also has a hashrate approaching 50%.
The condition is of course a worrying condition, related to the potential mastery of the network that could happen at any time, including the potential of 51% attack. However, basically, ASIC vendor dynamic conditions are not a problem if more and more ASIC vendor alternatives are emerging. So ASIC producer climate becomes more competitive and also conducive.
Unfortunately, gradually since they were founded, BItmain itself has positioned itself as an ASIC producer that has increasingly monopolized the market. Allegedly, the number of devices used alone far greater than the number of ASIC sold in the market.
Bitmain with the device has enough potential to make bitcoin network become centralized. Bitmain itself is widely dismissed allegations that BTC.com independent, but it is just empty pepesan only because it is fully owned by Bitmain.
ASIC AsicBoost Asylum
AsicBoost, is an ASIC device for mining embedded in a new way to allow the exploit of its devices to maximize performance up to 20% faster, then embedded on its ASIC chip.
The potential weakness of the algorithm in POW bitcoin consensus was first recognized by Grex Maxwell and posted into the bitcoin developer mailing list forum on April 5, 2017. The potential that was then known, there are some miners who use unfair ways against other miners in bitcoin networks.
The unfair efforts use ways that are considered to be detrimental to other miners. The Asicboost utilizes the hash merkle damgard function, which in bitcoin mining processes typically hashing block headers with 80 bytes that focus on nonce with 32 bit size.
If in any SHA256 hashing process exclusively using 64 bits in the first option, then the effect of the previous data will also not be affected. Whereas if there is a miner capable of making the first 64 bit header block and the second block with a closer distance or identical to 16 bits only, then the miner can use the calculation and repeated for some experiment in the next block. As a result, the method can effectively reduce energy consumption and power, so it can work up to 20% more effective.
The attack using ASIC device media called Asicboost was initially patented by Timo Hanke and Sergio Demian Lerner in November 2014. The controversy about Asicboost continued when Bitmain's party attempted to patent their Asicboost version without entirely listing Timo Hanke and Sergio Demian credits Lerner. The Asicboost patent is listed in China on behalf of Bitmain.
Again, the cautious effort was re-done by Bitmain to re-try to control the network through the amount of computing device ASIC. It was then parried with Segwit bitcoin activation, which made Asicboost unable to function. The cornerstone of Segwit Activation is then rejected by the Bitmain CS plot, and raises BCash (Bitcoin Cash).
Instead of disagreeing with Segwit, Bitmain CS proposed Segwit2x that actually allowed their Asicboost to function and gain a much greater profit. When Segwit bitcoin is active and successful, then again Bitmain CS tries to find another way by bringing up a new drama on behalf of BCash.
Overall, both the potential for mastery of bitcoin networks through major ASIC producers, and the potential of Asicboost has long been a thorn in meat in Bitcoin. However, bitcoin should be able to make the mining climate and the bitcoin network as a whole to remain decentralized, no control and control in it.
PoWx With Optical Computing in Proof of Work Bitcoin
Gradually, an option appears to change PoW bitcoin. Luke Dashjr, bitcoin developer, then repeatedly tried to dig his opinion on the bitcoin community about the option. Until soon PoWx took advantage of Optical Computing (Photonic Computing) to improve the security of Bitcoin PoW consensus.
So far this bitcoin PoW change option is still limited to the proposal only, and also still in the stage of further development. However, understanding the condition of the mining ecosystem and everything that covers it above becomes quite important to know if it turns out at some point later this option is used in Bitcoin.
Now public: one of the most promising options for a #Bitcoin PoW change, that Bitmain has no common experience, and eliminates the electricity-cost bias.
- Luke Dashjr (@LukeDashjr) July 3, 2018
Then how the Optical Proof of Work (OPoW) is actually? OPoW basically focuses on the use of hardware and software based on Optical Computer / Optical Computing, or so-called (Photonic Computing). In this case, the devices in it are no longer dependent to use electric energy currents to be able to compute, but using visible or infrared (IR) light photons.
If generally the basic building of a modern computer is a transistor, then the transistor is then replaced with optical-based electronic components. So that the intensity of light can enter and transmitted through the material in the same way as the bipolar transistor response.
Because light is an important element, unlike electrical energy that has the potential to damage the device more heat if the computation is faster, culminate with the increasing amount of electricity used, and heat is the main factor of damage to the device. With light, then no matter how much is used, so the development of data processing and computing systems becomes more resistant and powerful. This computer-based optical technology, believed mempu process much faster than modern electronic computers today.
In general, the vision of optical computing OPoW based applications of PoWx has many benefits, including:
Beneficial to improve the decentralization of bitcoin mining ecosystems Minimize the rate of use of electrical energy power Addressing the potential problem of the centrality of mining ecosystems such as ASIC / GPUD projected to run on PoW Bitcoin. Creating a more competitive mining ecosystem climate, away from monopolies with open source development projects. alert to futureQuantum Computing challenges
The Problem of Using High Electrical Energy in Bitcoin Mining
One of the biggest problems in the mining ecosystem is the amount of electrical energy required to compute. So far, with the effectiveness of ASIC device performance is still not able to provide a solution to the amount of energy it.
If in some variants Altcoin many who use DPoS for mining mechanism, then Bitcoin must still try to become more expensive ecosystem so it can still be decentralized. This is what keeps the bitcoin different with some Altcoin variants.
Due to DPoS, it still allows a small group of potentially networking potentials. PoW bitcoin now, to be able to master the bitcoin network will require resources that really so big. Although the potential is still possible, but it will be quite difficult it can be done. While hardware for mining, OPoW will also use ASIC based Optics. In this case, the Application Specific Photonic Integrated Circuit (ASPIC) is used.
