Coding, channel capacity, and noise resistance in communicating with chaos

Recent work has considered the possibility of utilizing symbolic representations of controlled chaotic orbits for digital communication. We argue that dynamically a coding scheme usually leads to trajectories that live on a nonattracting but noise-resisting chaotic saddle embedded in the chaotic attractor. We present analyses and numerical computation which indicate that the channel capacity of the chaotic saddle has a devil-staircase-like behavior as a function of the noise-resisting strength. The implication is that nonlinear digital communication using chaos can yield a substantial channel capacity even in a noisy environment. [S0031-9007(97)04462-1].