# Is there any way to do matrix/vector algebra with analog electrical components?

Is there any way to do matrix/vector algebra with analog electrical components? Only addition, subtracting and multiplying.

I'm going to build a Linear-Quadratic-Gaussian(LQG) Controller.

• There's ISAAC. At 2:31 you'll see some matrix stuff. Neo is awesome. Here's the paper. Jul 22, 2017 at 1:33
• These things used to be done before digital computers became fast and reliable and inexpensive. Before my time. But guidance systems used to be implemented with amplifiers and performed these types of operations. I think you should explain why you want to do this and what your ultimate goal is. Explain why you wouldn't just use a digital computer. Jul 22, 2017 at 3:50
• For analog voltage multiplication, this might be a good hint for you. $A×B = e^{ln(A)+ln(B)}$, and a diode has an exponential curve at its knee... Jul 22, 2017 at 13:16
• They have voltage multipliers. The problem is each addition or multiplication stage will add noise which will be gained up by each successive stage. Thats why we convert things to digital signals, because there is very little noise almost none Jul 23, 2017 at 2:20
• Thank you for the answer. Now I know that I must use a digital chip to do that.
– DanM
Jul 23, 2017 at 10:38