Maxwell's demon and data compression

Phys Rev E Stat Nonlin Soft Matter Phys. 2011 Dec;84(6 Pt 1):061117. doi: 10.1103/PhysRevE.84.061117. Epub 2011 Dec 12.

Abstract

In an asymmetric Szilard engine model of Maxwell's demon, we show the equivalence between information theoretical and thermodynamic entropies when the demon erases information optimally. The work gain by the engine can be exactly canceled out by the work necessary to reset the demon's memory after optimal data compression in the manner of Shannon before the erasure.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't