17 research outputs found
Computational Modalities of Belousov-Zhabotinsky Encapsulated Vesicles
We present both simulated and partial empirical evidence for the
computational utility of many connected vesicle analogs of an encapsulated
non-linear chemical processing medium. By connecting small vesicles containing
a solution of sub-excitable Belousov-Zhabotinsky (BZ) reaction, sustained and
propagating wave fragments are modulated by both spatial geometry, network
connectivity and their interaction with other waves. The processing ability is
demonstrated through the creation of simple Boolean logic gates and then by the
combination of those gates to create more complex circuits
Artificial Wet Neuronal Networks from Compartmentalised Excitable Chemical Media (NEUNEU)
This document is a guide to the results of the NEUNEU research program, which is concerned with the development of mass-
producible chemical information processing components and their interconnection into functional architectures.This document is a guide to the results of the NEUNEU research program, which is concerned with the development of mass-
producible chemical information processing components and their interconnection into functional architectures
Towards heterotic computing with droplets in a fully automated droplet-maker platform
The control and prediction of complex chemical systems is a difficult problem due to the nature of the interactions, transformations and processes occurring. From self-assembly to catalysis and self-organization, complex chemical systems are often heterogeneous mixtures that at the most extreme exhibit system-level functions, such as those that could be observed in a living cell. In this paper, we outline an approach to understand and explore complex chemical systems using an automated droplet maker to control the composition, size and position of the droplets in a predefined chemical environment. By investigating the spatio-temporal dynamics of the droplets, the aim is to understand how to control system-level emergence of complex chemical behaviour and even view the system-level behaviour as a programmable entity capable of information processing. Herein, we explore how our automated droplet-maker platform could be viewed as a prototype chemical heterotic computer with some initial data and example problems that may be viewed as potential chemically embodied computations
Vesicle computers: Approximating Voronoi diagram on Voronoi automata
Irregular arrangements of vesicles filled with excitable and precipitating
chemical systems are imitated by Voronoi automata --- finite-state machines
defined on a planar Voronoi diagram. Every Voronoi cell takes four states:
resting, excited, refractory and precipitate. A resting cell excites if it has
at least one excited neighbour; the cell precipitates if a ratio of excited
cells in its neighbourhood to its number of neighbours exceed certain
threshold. To approximate a Voronoi diagram on Voronoi automata we project a
planar set onto automaton lattice, thus cells corresponding to data-points are
excited. Excitation waves propagate across the Voronoi automaton, interact with
each other and form precipitate in result of the interaction. Configuration of
precipitate represents edges of approximated Voronoi diagram. We discover
relation between quality of Voronoi diagram approximation and precipitation
threshold, and demonstrate feasibility of our model in approximation Voronoi
diagram of arbitrary-shaped objects and a skeleton of a planar shape.Comment: Chaos, Solitons & Fractals (2011), in pres
Towards experimental P-systems using multivesicular liposomes
P-systems are abstract computational models inspired by the phospholipid bilayer membranes generated by biological cells. Illustrated here is a mechanism by which recursive liposome structures (multivesicular liposomes) may be experimentally produced through electroformation of dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) films for use in ‘real’ P-systems. We first present the electroformation protocol and microscopic characterisation of incident liposomes towards estimating the size of computing elements, level of internal compartment recursion, fault tolerance and stability. Following, we demonstrate multiple routes towards embedding symbols, namely modification of swelling solutions, passive diffusion and microinjection. Finally, we discuss how computing devices based on P-systems can be produced and their current limitations
Biological and Chemical Information Technologies
Biological and chemical information technologies (bio/chem IT) have the potential to reshape the scientific and technological landscape. In this paper we briefly review the main challenges and opportunities in the field, before presenting several case studies based on ongoing FP7 research projects