Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Path: utzoo!mnetor!seismo!rutgers!clyde!cbatt!cwruecmp!nitrex!rbl
From: rbl@nitrex.UUCP ( Dr. Robin Lake )
Newsgroups: comp.arch
Subject: Re: random number generator in hardware
Message-ID: <390@nitrex.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Nov-86 14:27:13 EST
Article-I.D.: nitrex.390
Posted: Wed Nov 19 14:27:13 1986
Date-Received: Wed, 19-Nov-86 22:18:49 EST
References: <317@zuring.mcvax.UUCP> <267@bath63.UUCP> <2490@phri.UUCP> <7320@utzoo.UUCP> <6364@ut-sally.UUCP>
Reply-To: rbl@nitrex.UUCP ( Dr. Robin Lake )
Organization: The Standard Oil Co., Cleveland
Lines: 24

In:
>From: nather@ut-sally.UUCP (Ed Nather)
>Subject: Re: random number generator in hardware
>Message-ID: <6364@ut-sally.UUCP>
>References: <317@zuring.mcvax.UUCP> <267@bath63.UUCP>, <2490@phri.UUCP> <7320@utzoo.UUCP>

it is mentioned that:
>In article <7320@utzoo.UUCP>, henry@utzoo.UUCP (Henry Spencer) writes:
> > 	Which brings up a point which has been bothering me for a long
> > time.  Why don't computers come with hardware random number generators?
> > It doesn't seem like it would be too hard (i.e. expensive) to build a bank
> > of 32 white noise generators hooked up to zero-crossing detectors...

>There are several different ways to build a "hardware random number generator"
>mostly based on the detection of radiactive decay, ...

Just such a random number generator was built as a Master's thesis project
in the Engineering Design Center at Case Western Reserve University (then
Case Institute of Technology) in 1960 -1961.  I've forgotten the grad student's
name, but I believe the advisor was Dr. Harry Mergler, who is still around
CWRU.

Robin Lake
Standard Oil R&D