Xiao Sun

A memristor is a resistor with a memory: after the current is turned off, it retains its resistance. Inside, a thin film of metal oxide is sandwiched between two metal electrodes. When a strong current is first passed through the device, conductive filaments of oxygen vacancies form in the oxide, and the resistance drops sharply.

The ballroom fills with guests. Every new arrival is a request, and the dance steward's job is to find a suitable pair. Two people can be matched as soon as they're close, yielding an accurate pair, but what if a perfect partner arrives a minute later? Hesitate, and the waiters grow weary: some get bored, others lose patience.