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Counting objects using a 8 bit counter with laser and logic
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Level Type: Contraption
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344.984 KB
27 Sep, 2014 @ 12:00am
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altan
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Counting objects using a 8 bit counter with laser and logic

Description
This contraption shows a T flip-flop made using lasers and when each flip-flop is stacked together in series (this example has 8 flip-flops), they create a 8 bit binary counter which is indicated by the blue light indicator.

I have also included a counter refresher to stabilize the flip-flops and reset the count to 0. Takes about 30 seconds to boot up all the flip-flop.

This contraption is based off my previous contraption on laser logic gates and flip-flops.
2 Comments
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altan  [author] 15 Oct, 2014 @ 10:29am 
Yes, it seems that the FF initial state are in the metastable state which requires some form of initial input (initialization/boot) to stabilize the FF out of the metastable state and into a known state (either on or off). I notice that trying to boot from the first FF and allowing it to fill all 8 FF will take forever so, I devised a parallel boot sequence setting two separate groups of FF, hence the piece of wood in the mid section of the layout which blocks the laser after the boot sequence. I could have extended the parallel boot system to 4 groups of FF but my laptop performance wasn't up to the task.
Vulpian 8 Oct, 2014 @ 8:31pm 
I have been working with laser logic as well in an attempt to construct a BCD counter using 7-segment displays. I have been able to build D FFs and SR FFs, but I have been running into metastability issues with T FFs and JK FFs. Decade counters require little additional logic with a T FF implementation. Is the initial boot sequence used in order to overcome the oscillatory nature of the FFs in your circuit?