WAEC Computer Science 2020
Questions & Answers

Bio-inspired algorithms, such as genetic algorithms and particle swarm optimization, draw from natural phenomena like evolution and animal swarms to solve complex optimization problems by iteratively improving solutions through mechanisms mimicking selection, crossover, and mutation.

Molecular computing leverages individual molecules or molecular assemblies to perform computations, offering potential for massive parallelism and ultra-high density storage/computation at the nanoscale, beyond traditional silicon-based systems.

Self-sovereign identity (SSI) empowers users to own, control, and manage their digital identities without reliance on central authorities, using decentralized technologies like blockchain to enhance privacy and security in authentication.

Event-driven programming focuses on responding to user actions, sensor inputs, or messages as 'events' that trigger code execution, commonly used in GUIs, web applications, and real-time systems for responsive behavior.

Quantum entanglement channels facilitate quantum teleportation and secure key distribution (e.g., in quantum networks), allowing correlated particles to enable effectively instantaneous information transfer without classical signaling, though limited by no-communication theorem.

Spintronics exploits the spin of electrons (along with charge) for information processing and storage, enabling devices like MRAM with lower power consumption and higher speed compared to charge-based electronics.

Ambient intelligence (AmI) integrates sensors, AI, and IoT for context-aware, unobtrusive interactions in smart homes, allowing devices to anticipate and respond to user needs seamlessly without explicit commands.

Prolog is a logic programming language that supports constraint programming by defining problems through constraints and variables, allowing declarative solutions via backtracking and unification for search and optimization.

Holographic data storage records information across the volume of a medium using interference patterns of laser light, enabling high-density, parallel access for terabyte-scale archival storage.

The sensing and perception layer in 6G architectures integrates AI-driven sensing (e.g., radar, LiDAR) to enable immersive XR experiences, environmental awareness, and digital twins for enhanced reality applications.

Reinforcement learning agents in robotics learn policies by interacting with environments, receiving rewards/penalties for actions, enabling adaptive behaviors like navigation or manipulation without explicit programming.

Shape-memory alloys (e.g., Nitinol) in wearables deform under stress or heat and revert to predefined shapes, enabling adaptive, flexible components like self-adjusting braces or sensors.

Quorum systems in distributed computing require agreement from a majority (quorum) of replicas for operations like reads/writes, ensuring consistency and fault tolerance in consensus protocols like Paxos or Raft.

Olfactory interfaces release scents synchronized with VR content, adding the sense of smell to visual/auditory/tactile stimuli, deepening immersion in simulations like training or gaming.

Plasmonic circuits confine light to nanoscale via surface plasmons (electron oscillations in metals), enabling ultra-fast, compact photonic interconnects for data transfer in chips.

Bio-hacking involves manipulating or corrupting DNA strands used for data storage, exploiting biological vulnerabilities like enzymatic degradation or synthetic biology tools to access or alter encoded information.

Sentiment analysis engines use NLP and ML to classify text (posts, comments) as positive, negative, or neutral, helping platforms moderate content, gauge public opinion, or personalize feeds.

Swarm intelligence emerges from simple interactions among decentralized, self-organized agents (e.g., ants, birds), solving complex problems like optimization without central coordination.

Cryptographic obfuscation transforms code/data into complex, unreadable forms (e.g., via renaming, control flow flattening) to deter reverse engineering, while maintaining executable functionality.

Leap Motion is a device that tracks hand/finger movements in 3D space, enabling gesture-based control for applications like VR, CAD, or gaming without physical contact.

Nanorobotic swarms coordinate microscopic robots to navigate bloodstreams, delivering drugs precisely to diseased cells, minimizing side effects in treatments like cancer therapy.

Liquid metal coolants (e.g., gallium alloys) offer high thermal conductivity and conformability, enabling efficient, passive heat dissipation in flexible or compact computing devices like wearables.

Time warp (optimistic synchronization) allows distributed simulators to process events out-of-order, rolling back stragglers via anti-messages to maintain causality in parallel executions.

Affective computing detects emotions via facial/voice analysis, adapting educational content (e.g., simplifying lessons if frustration is detected) to boost engagement and learning outcomes.

Chiral metamaterials exhibit handedness, enabling unique EM wave manipulation like circular polarization conversion or negative refraction, improving signal isolation and bandwidth in antennas.

Cryogenic computing operates near absolute zero (e.g., using superconductors) to minimize resistance and noise, enabling ultra-efficient quantum or classical computations with reduced energy.

Fuzzy logic controllers process vague inputs (e.g., 'hot' temperature) using membership functions and rules for gradual decisions, ideal for control systems like HVAC without precise models.

VOX format stores voxel (3D pixel) data for volumetric displays, rendering true 3D images viewable from all angles without glasses, used in medical imaging or holography.

Synthetic biology compilers (e.g., tools like Cello) convert high-level genetic circuit designs into DNA code sequences, automating engineering of biological systems for computing or therapeutics.

Lunar internet networks, like NASA's LunaNet, use orbital satellites and gateways for reliable, low-latency communication supporting Moon missions, rovers, and future habitats.

Piezoelectric sensors generate voltage from mechanical stress (e.g., footsteps, vibrations), powering wearables or detecting motion/gestures for health monitoring like step counting.

Hydroponic computing likely refers to liquid immersion cooling (non-conductive fluids), which dissipates heat more efficiently than air, reducing energy use by up to 40% in data centers.

Steganography embeds secret data (e.g., watermarks, messages) into images/audio without altering perceptible appearance, for covert communication or digital rights management.

Ferrofluids (magnetic nanoparticles in liquid) enable dynamic, high-density storage by manipulating droplets with fields, promising reconfigurable, low-power alternatives to solid-state media.

Pheromone-based routing, inspired by ant colony optimization, uses virtual 'trails' (probabilities) to dynamically find shortest paths in networks, adapting to congestion for better traffic flow.

Force Touch (e.g., in MacBooks) provides haptic feedback via vibrations simulating clicks or textures, enhancing tactile interaction in touch interfaces for precise control.

Space-based gravitational wave detectors (e.g., LISA) provide ultra-precise timing from cosmic events, enabling atomic-clock-independent synchronization for deep-space networks and computations.

Self-replicating code in robotics allows programs to copy themselves across units, enabling scalable, autonomous swarms for tasks like exploration, though raising ethical concerns like uncontrolled spread.

Thermoelectric generators (Peltier/Seebeck effect) harvest waste body heat in wearables, generating microwatts for self-powering sensors, extending battery life in health trackers.

Neutrino communication uses nearly massless particles that pass through Earth/planets unaffected, enabling secure, long-distance signaling in environments opaque to radio waves, like submarines or space.