"The Skip Ratchet" by Brooklyn Zelenka (Strange Loop 2022)

Discover the innovative concept of Skip Ratchets, a system allowing random jumps within large data structures, built on number systems and hash chains, with applications in decentralized networks, cryptography, and more.

Key takeaways
  • Ratchets and Epochs: A skip ratchet is a system that allows you to jump to a random location within a large data structure without knowing the entire data structure. It works by hashing and combining elements of a data structure, creating a new state and moving forward in a controlled way.
  • Number Systems: Skip ratchets are built upon number systems, which are essential to computing. Number systems can be positional, binary, or based on different radices.
  • Positional Number Systems: Positional number systems use a base, which is a specific number of digits that repeat. Examples include base-10, base-2, and base-4.
  • Hash Chains: Hash chains are a fundamental concept in skip ratchets. They allow you to create a sequence of hashes, where each hash is a one-way function that is difficult to reverse.
  • Deterministic and Non-Deterministic: Deterministic systems follow a set of rules to generate a specific output. Non-deterministic systems, on the other hand, use randomness to generate output.
  • Epochs: Epochs are time frames in a skip ratchet, allowing you to reset the system after a certain period.
  • Ratchet Up: Ratcheting up allows you to jump to a random location within the skip ratchet, while hiding the internal state.
  • Unrestricted Growth: Skip ratchets have unrestricted growth, meaning they can grow arbitrarily large without revealing the internal state.
  • Applications: Skip ratchets have various applications, including decentralized networks, distributed storage, and secure data processing.
  • Cryptographic Significance: Skip ratchets provide a way to create secure and tamper-proof data structures, making them important for cryptography and secure communication.
  • Number System Evolution: Number systems have evolved over time, with different cultures and civilizations using various numbering systems.
  • Counting: Counting is a fundamental concept in mathematics and is used in skip ratchets to create new states and move forward in a controlled way.
  • Practical Applications: Skip ratchets are being used in practical applications, including payment schemes and micropayments, demonstrating their real-world potential.
  • Future Development: The development of skip ratchets is ongoing, with the potential for new applications and uses as the technology evolves.