Optimal static and dynamic recycling of defective binary devices
  The binary Defect Combination Problem consists in finding a fully working subset from a given ensemble of imperfect binary components. We determine the typical properties of the model using methods of statistical mechanics, in particular, the region in the parameter space where there is almost surely at least one fully-working subset. Dynamic recycling of a flux of imperfect binary components leads to zero wastage. 
Damien Challet and Isaac Perez Castillo