On plant roots logical gates

© 2017 Elsevier B.V. Theoretical constructs of logical gates implemented with plant roots are morphological computing asynchronous devices. Values of Boolean variables are represented by plant roots. A presence of a plant root at a given site symbolises the logical TRUE, an absence the logical FALSE. Logical functions are calculated via interaction between roots. Two types of two-inputs–two-outputs gates are proposed: a gate 〈x, y〉→〈xy, x+y〉 where root apexes are guided by gravity and a gate 〈x,y〉→〈x¯y,x〉 where root apexes are guided by humidity. We propose a design of binary half-adder based on the gates

Using natural shape statistics of urban form to model social capital

The social aspect is an important but often overlooked part of sustainable development philosophy. In hoping to popularise and show the importance of social sustainable development, this study tries to find a relation between the social environment and urban form. Research in the social capital field provided the methodology to acquire social computational data. The relation between human actions and the environment is noted in many theories, and used in some practices. Human cognition is computationally predictable with natural shape analysis and machine learning methods. In the analysis of shape, a topological skeleton is a proven method to acquire statistical data that correlates with data collected from human experiments. In this study, the analysis of urban form with respect to human cognition was used to acquire computational data for a machine learning model of social capital in counties in the USA Article in English. Socialinio kapitalo modeliavimas taikant pastatų formos statistinę analizę Santrauka Tvarios plėtros teorijoje socialinė aplinka yra pripažinta kaip svarbus veiksnys, tačiau trūksta praktinės metodikos. Ryšio tarp urbanistinės formos ir socialinės aplinkos radimas aktualizuotų ir padėtų populiarinti socialinę tvarią plėtrą. Aplinkos įtaka žmonių tarpusavio elgesiui yra ne kartą aptartas reiškinys, tačiau praktikoje retai taikomas. Ankstesniuose socialinio kapitalo tyrimuose pateikiamos metodologijos ir statistiniai duomenys esamos situacijos analizei atlikti. Kaip žmonės suvokia formas, yra nuspėjama taikant statistinę formos analizę ir dirbtinio intelekto metodologiją – sistemos mokymąsi. Klasifikuojant formas topologinio skeleto metodologija gaunami rezultatai koreliuoja su duomenimis, surinktais per eksperimentą, kuriame žmonės klasifikuoja formas. Taikant žinomas formos analizės metodologijas, atspindinčias suvokimą, buvo surinkti duomenys modeliuoti socialinį kapitalą su sisteminio mokymosi modeliu. Sisteminis mokymasis yra dirbtinio intelekto sritis, kurioje remiantis pateiktais duomenimis automatiškai sukalibruojama kompleksinė matematinė formulė. Modeliuojant socialinį kapitalą su formos skeleto statistiniais duomenimis, geriausi rezultatai pasiekti taikant neuroniniais tinklais pagristą sisteminį mokymąsi. Reikšminiai žodžiai: urbanistinė forma,  formos analizė statis­tiniais metodais, socialinis kapitalas, sisteminis mokymasis, daugiasluoksnis perceptronas

On the computing potential of intracellular vesicles

© 2015 Mayne, Adamatzky. Collision-based computing (CBC) is a form of unconventional computing in which travelling localisations represent data and conditional routing of signals determines the output state; collisions between localisations represent logical operations. We investigated patterns of Ca2+-containing vesicle distribution within a live organism, slime mould Physarum polycephalum, with confocal microscopy and observed them colliding regularly. Vesicles travel down cytoskeletal 'circuitry' and their collisions may result in reflection, fusion or annihilation. We demonstrate through experimental observations that naturally-occurring vesicle dynamics may be characterised as a computationally-universal set of Boolean logical operations and present a 'vesicle modification' of the archetypal CBC 'billiard ball model' of computation. We proceed to discuss the viability of intracellular vesicles as an unconventional computing substrate in which we delineate practical considerations for reliable vesicle 'programming' in both in vivo and in vitro vesicle computing architectures and present optimised designs for both single logical gates and combinatorial logic circuits based on cytoskeletal network conformations. The results presented here demonstrate the first characterisation of intracelluar phenomena as collision-based computing and hence the viability of biological substrates for computing

Liquid marble interaction gate for collision-based computing

© 2017 Elsevier Ltd Liquid marbles are microliter droplets of liquid, encapsulated by self-organized hydrophobic particles at the liquid/air interface. They offer an efficient approach for manipulating liquid droplets and compartmentalizing reactions in droplets. Digital fluidic devices employing liquid marbles might benefit from having embedded computing circuits without electronics and moving mechanical parts (apart from the marbles). We present an experimental implementation of a collision gate with liquid marbles. Mechanics of the gate follows principles of Margolus’ soft-sphere collision gate. Boolean values of the inputs are given by the absence (FALSE) or presence (TRUE) of a liquid marble. There are three outputs: two outputs are trajectories of undisturbed marbles (they only report TRUE when just one marble is present at one of the inputs), one output is represented by trajectories of colliding marbles (when two marbles collide they lose their horizontal momentum and fall), this output reports TRUE only when two marbles are present at inputs. Thus the gate implements AND and AND-NOT logical functions. We speculate that by merging trajectories representing AND-NOT output into a single channel one can produce a one-bit half-adder. Potential design of a one-bit full-adder is discussed, and the synthesis of both a pure nickel metal and a hybrid nickel/polymer liquid marble is reported

Computers from plants we never made. Speculations

We discuss possible designs and prototypes of computing systems that could be based on morphological development of roots, interaction of roots, and analog electrical computation with plants, and plant-derived electronic components. In morphological plant processors data are represented by initial configuration of roots and configurations of sources of attractants and repellents; results of computation are represented by topology of the roots' network. Computation is implemented by the roots following gradients of attractants and repellents, as well as interacting with each other. Problems solvable by plant roots, in principle, include shortest-path, minimum spanning tree, Voronoi diagram, $\alpha$-shapes, convex subdivision of concave polygons. Electrical properties of plants can be modified by loading the plants with functional nanoparticles or coating parts of plants of conductive polymers. Thus, we are in position to make living variable resistors, capacitors, operational amplifiers, multipliers, potentiometers and fixed-function generators. The electrically modified plants can implement summation, integration with respect to time, inversion, multiplication, exponentiation, logarithm, division. Mathematical and engineering problems to be solved can be represented in plant root networks of resistive or reaction elements. Developments in plant-based computing architectures will trigger emergence of a unique community of biologists, electronic engineering and computer scientists working together to produce living electronic devices which future green computers will be made of.Comment: The chapter will be published in "Inspired by Nature. Computing inspired by physics, chemistry and biology. Essays presented to Julian Miller on the occasion of his 60th birthday", Editors: Susan Stepney and Andrew Adamatzky (Springer, 2017

Computation implemented by the interaction of chemical reaction, clustering, and de-clustering of molecules

A chemical reaction and its reaction environment are intrinsically linked, especially within the confines of narrow cellular spaces. Traditional models of chemical reactions often use differential equations with concentration as the primary variable, neglecting the density heterogeneity in the solution and the interaction between the reaction and its environment. We model the interaction between a chemical reaction and its environment within a geometrically confined space, such as inside a cell, by representing the environment through the size of molecular clusters. In the absence of fluctuations, the interplay between cluster size changes and the activation and inactivation of molecules induces oscillations. However, in unstable environments, the system reaches a fluctuating steady state. When an enzyme is introduced to this steady state, oscillations akin to action potential spike trains emerge. We examine the behaviour of these spike trains and demonstrate that they can be used to implement logic gates. We discuss the oscillations and computations that arise from the interaction between a chemical reaction and its environment, exploring their potential for contributing to chemical intelligence

Digital Energetics

Media and energy require joint theorization as they are bound together across contemporary informational and fossil regimes. Digital Energetics traces the contours of a media analytic of energy and an energy analytic of media across the cultural, environmental, and labor relations they subtend. Focusing specifically on digital operations, its authors analyze how data and energy have jointly modulated the character of data work and politics in a warming world