Random Number Generators (RNG) are the unsung heroes behind a multitude of programs, devices, and functions. Over the last few years, the sector has seen leaps and bounds in its technology. So, let’s take a look at some of the biggest RNG innovations of the last year.
Accessible Devices
RNGs have long since been utilized in industries like theoretical research, cryptography, and especially online casinos. Put simply, RNGs digitize the sense of luck that you’d get from rolling a dice, spinning a wheel, or dealing cards. For this reason, they are the main technology behind online slot games, determining what symbols will fall on the reels, and when, without the results following any pattern. Some games take it even further – when you play Age of the Gods God of Storms slot a bonus feature sees the character of Aeolus blow the symbols across the reels. Here, RNGs not only ensure the results of the normal spins are random, but also where the blown symbols land on the reels, promoting immersive, fair, and authentic gameplay.
Source: Pixabay
The same technology that is behind these games can also be used to bolster security. SeQure Quantum is just one of the developers who have made the leap from code-based RNG iGaming technology into the world of security, developing a portable quantum RNG device. The device not only can be used in the original applications of online gaming, but it can also be leveraged for encryption and cybersecurity applications. SeQure Quantum has recently partnered with the Thales Group, and hopes to launch both a hardware and Software as a Service (SaaS) version of this new technology to make it more accessible.
Simple Pseudo-Random Coding
For applications that don’t require a complex algorithm or a robust software, it is now easier than ever to create a RNG code on a desktop or laptop. It is important to note that this would not replace anything in cybersecurity applications, but may be used for simple functions such as selecting the winner of a contest, choosing a random sample for market research, or anything else that could be done by flipping a coin or rolling a dice.
At its simplest, this is possible with just Python3 and a text editor to choose a number between 1 and 10, for example.
Faster Speeds
A study by physicists at Ghent University, University of Denmark, and Università di Bari has found a way to use quantum fluctuations to generate random numbers up to 200 times faster than standard RNGs. This discovery comes from studying the behavior of particles paired up with antiparticles, and measuring the electric field fluctuations using an integrated balanced homodyne detector.
Though this is far from being ready for commercial deployment, the impact of this could be profound. The researchers found they could shrink the system to a size that could be incorporated into a computer system, which could revolutionize RNGs in all kinds of technology.
And there you have it – just a few of the key innovations transforming the RNG sector in the modern day. With these things in mind, all that’s left to do is wait and see what the future may hold for RNGs in commercial products.