M. Dal Cin – författare

This volume is the record and product of the Summer School on the Physics and Mathematics of the Nervous System, held at the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste from August 21-31, 1973, and jointly organized by the Institute for Information Sciences, University of Tlibingen and by the Centre. The school served to bring biologists, physicists and mathemati­ cians together to exchange ideas about the nervous system and brain, and also to introduce young scientists to the field. The program, attended by more than a hundred scientists, was interdisciplinary both in character and participation. The primary support for the school was provided by the Volkswagen Foundation of West Germany. We are particularly indebted to Drs. G. Gambke, M. -L Zarnitz, and H. Penschuck of the Foundation for their in­ terest in and help with the project. The school also received major support from the International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste and its sponsoring agencies, including the use of its excellent facili­ ties. We are deeply indebted to Professor A. Salam for his kind co­ operation and also to Professor P. Budini, Dr. A. M. Hamende, and to the many members of the Centre staff whose hospitality and efficiency con­ tributed so much to the success of the school. We are pleased to acknow­ ledge the generous ~id and cooperation of the University of Tlibingen and would like to thank its President, A.

In the last decade of Computer Science development, we can observe a growing interest in fault-tolerant computing. This interest is the result of a rising number of appl'ications where reliable operation of computing systems is an essential requirement. Besides basic research in the field of fault-tolerant computing, there is an increasing num­ ber of systems especially designed to achieve fault-tolerance. It is the objective of this conference to offer a survey of present research and development activities in these areas. The second GI/NTG/GM~ Conference on Fault-Tolerant Computing Systems has had a preparatory time of about two years. In March 1982, the first GI conference concerning fault-tolerant computing systems was held in Munich. One of the results of the conference was to bring an organiza­ tional framework to the FTC community in Germany. This led to the founding of the common interest group "Fault-Tolerant Computing Systems" of the Gesellschaft fur Informatik (GI), the Nachrichtentechnische Gesellschaft (NTG), and the Gesellschaft fur MeB- und Regelungstechnik (VDI/VDE-GMR) in November 1982. At that time, it was also decided to schedule a biannual conference on fault-tolerant computing systems. One of the goals of this second conference is to strengthen the relations with the international FTC community; thus, the call for papers was extended not only to German-speaking countries, but to other countries as well.

In the last decade of Computer Science development, we can observe a growing interest in fault-tolerant computing. This interest is the result of a rising number of appl''ications where reliable operation of computing systems is an essential requirement. Besides basic research in the field of fault-tolerant computing, there is an increasing num­ ber of systems especially designed to achieve fault-tolerance. It is the objective of this conference to offer a survey of present research and development activities in these areas. The second GI/NTG/GM~ Conference on Fault-Tolerant Computing Systems has had a preparatory time of about two years. In March 1982, the first GI conference concerning fault-tolerant computing systems was held in Munich. One of the results of the conference was to bring an organiza­ tional framework to the FTC community in Germany. This led to the founding of the common interest group "Fault-Tolerant Computing Systems" of the Gesellschaft fur Informatik (GI), the Nachrichtentechnische Gesellschaft (NTG), and the Gesellschaft fur MeB- und Regelungstechnik (VDI/VDE-GMR) in November 1982. At that time, it was also decided to schedule a biannual conference on fault-tolerant computing systems. One of the goals of this second conference is to strengthen the relations with the international FTC community; thus, the call for papers was extended not only to German-speaking countries, but to other countries as well.