Atlas Of Physarum Computing

by Andrew Adamatzky

Overview

The slime mould Physarum polycephalum is a large cell visible by the unaided eye. It behaves as an intelligent nonlinear spatially extended active medium encapsulated in an elastic membrane. The cell optimises its growth patterns in configurations of attractants and repellents. This behaviour is interpreted as computation. Numerous prototypes of slime mould computers were designed to solve problems of computational geometry, graphs and transport networks and to implement universal computing circuits.In this unique set of scientific photographs and micrographs, the leading experts in computer science, biology, chemistry and material science illustrate in superb detail the nature of the slime mould computers and hybrid devices. Every photograph or micrograph in this book is of real scientific, theoretical or technological interest. Each entry includes a self-contained description of how the visualised phenomenon is used in the relevant slime mould computer. This atlas is unique in providing the depth and breadth of knowledge in harnessing behaviour of the slime mould to perform computation. It will help readers to understand how exploitation of biological processes has sparked new ideas and spurred progress in many fields of science and engineering.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9789814675314
Publisher:	World Scientific Publishing Company, Incorporated
Publication date:	04/29/2015
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	6.69(w) x 9.61(h) x 0.38(d)

Table of Contents

Preface v

Acknowledgements vii

1 Slime mould gates, roads and sensors Andrew Adamatzky 1

2 Multi-agent model of slime mould for computing and robotics Jeff Jones 35

3 Slime mould biotechnology Richard Mayne 47

4 Slime mould interactions with chemicals and materials Benjamin De Lacy Costello 61

5 Basic features of slime mould motility Tornohiro Shirakawa 75

6 Slime mould grown on polymer layers Alice Dimonte Tatiana Berzina Victor Erokhin 91

7 Diversity of slime mould circuits Martin Grube 99

8 Slime mould fluids and networks from an artist's point of view Theresa Schubert 105

Bibliography 111

Index 115