PROCESSING SYSTEM FOR PERFORMING MATRIX MULTIPLICATION

An optical processing system for performing a matrix multiplication Mx where M is a matrix and x is a vector involves two two-dimensional arrays of optically transmissive elements with each element of the first array communicating light to the corresponding elmement of the second array. The optical transmittance of each row of one of the arrays is controlled according to the values of the vector x, and the optical transmittance of each element of the other array is controlled according to the corresponding matrix value m(i,j). The first array is uniformly illuminated and the amount of light transmitted through the two arrays is detected by a suitable array of photodetectors. The output of each photodetector will be proportional to the sum of the products of the vector x(i) with each value of the matrix in the corresponding column of the matrix array.