Non-locally Electrically Programmable Logic Gates - Technological Advances Progress

Question

Preface: I’d like to clarify that I understand what a relay is and that a PLC uses a fairly conventional microprocessor that only digitally establishes logical logic gate configuration as a digitally programmable alternative to relay banks for analog and/or (depending on the PLC) digital signals. My question is based on the understanding that to date actual logic gates (as far as I know) aren’t non-locally programmable (“re-wirable”) without a person manually rewiring truly programmable actual (not logical programming of a statically wired microprocessor) logic gates.

Rectenna work interests me specifically around any potential relevance of varying transmission wavelengths and material resistances (if this is not possible with MoS2, generally as a concept for other potential materials) to making possible remote switch activation of logically chosen switches along an array. Essentially I am curious about if this or other research has potential for constructing truly physically reprogrammable (externally and maybe wirelessly) logic gates.

In general any information on advances towards this capability would be appreciated as right now it seems like the only rudimentary build I could manage for my project is a 64 gate one. That’s not great because anything less than 512 gates would be very hard to make useful for my proof of concept project, and I know there’s no way I could get to a more ideal 262,144 gates.

One example would be any publication which covers if the kind of uses of phase-engineered low-resistance contacts for ultrathin MoS2 transistors covered in the articles below would be able to be produced with varying resistance in a band usable for varying activation via radio waves for switches.

https://doi.org/10.1038/nmat4080

https://www.ece.cmu.edu/news-and-events/story/2019/05/rectennas-converting-radio-waves-into-electricity.html

I’m not picky if someone knows about other technological advances approaching this capability such as biochemical non-locally programmable switch activation equivalent processes. Thanks everyone.

Update 1: My specific question is: Have there been any significant technological advances towards non-locally electrically programmable logic gates?

Update 2: After further review I’ve found that FPGAs are not what I am asking about. Their reprogramming like PLCs is digital not analog. They seem to just be a more generalized similar thing to PLCs rather than being factory equipment. I might incorporate one or more in my project, but they aren’t what I am referring to which is true analog reprogramming. Why does analog matter? Analog means more efficient at the surface level, but it also allows structured logic similar to ladder logic at the hardware level which enables significantly different uses in structuring and restructuring logic execution.

Answer 1

Here's what I'd do. I would use a CPLD (maybe even a PLD would do).

If you need to choose amongst a set of known logic trees, I would have it all pre-programmed and use some sort of wired or wireless or light based comm to select the right input pins, to select the right logic tree for other pins.
If you need the logic to be changeable but cannot make a fixed set, then you'd need to compile the required logic into a JTAG programmable file and send the file over perhaps by wired or wireless or light based comms to the target and have something at the target to change the CPLD via JTAG.
It has been done before.

If you need some analog capabilities along with this, look for something like this one instead of the CPLD: https://www.cypress.com/products/32-bit-arm-cortex-m3-psoc-5lp.

Beyond this, it is hard to read your mind to see what you're looking for!