Predictive Maxwell's demons

Abstract

Here we study the operation efficiency of a finite-size finite-response-time Maxwell's demon, who can make future predictions. We compare the heat and mass transport rate of predictive demons to non-predictive ones and find that predictive demons can achieve higher mass and heat transport rates over longer periods of time. We determine how the demon performance varies with response time, future sight, and the density of the gasses on which they operate.

Bayesian information engine that optimally exploits noisy measurements

“…Although previous studies noted the degradation of performance due to measurement noise, they did not attempt to alter the feedback algorithm to compensate. Yet theoretical studies have indicated that incorporating the information contained in past measurements via optimal feedback control could greatly improve the performance of an information engine [15][16][17][18]. Indeed, experiments in other areas of physics have used feedback that incorporates Bayesian estimators to demonstrate spectacular results, even in the presence of high measurement noise; significant achievements include trapping a single fluorescent dye molecule that is freely diffusing in water [19] and cooling a nanoparticle to the quantum regime of dynamics [20,21].…”