Related papers: Towards Physarum Engines
P. polycephalum may be considered as a spatially represented parallel unconventional computing substrate, but how can this `computer' be programmed? In this paper we examine and catalogue individual low-level mechanisms which may be used to…
Optimization of fluid transport in the slime mold Physarum polycephalum has been the subject of several modeling efforts in recent literature. Existing models assume that the tube adaptation mechanism in P. polycephalum's tubular network is…
Plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is a large single cell visible by unaided eye. It shows sophisticated behavioural traits in foraging for nutrients and developing an optimal transport network of protoplasmic tubes spanning sources of…
Wounding is a severe impairment of function, especially for an exposed organism like the network-forming true slime mould Physarum polycephalum. The tubular network making up the organism's body plan is entirely interconnected and shares a…
Slime mould Physarum polycephalum is a large single cell visible by unaided eye. We design a slime mould implementation of a tactile hair, where the slime mould responds to repeated deflection of hair by an immediate high-amplitude spike…
The aim of this work is to quantify the spatio-temporal dynamics of flow-driven amoeboid locomotion in small ($\sim$100 $\mu$m) fragments of the true slime mold \phys {\it polycephalum}. In this model organism, cellular contraction drives…
Computing a polygon defining a set of planar points is a classical problem of modern computational geometry. In laboratory experiments we demonstrate that a concave hull, a connected alpha-shape without holes, of a finite planar set is…
The Physarum network expands or retracts in response to environmental stimuli, demonstrating an intelligent adaptive capability to locate optimal paths for nutrient transport. The underlying physical mechanism governing this intelligence…
This paper introduces Polyphorm, an interactive visualization and model fitting tool that provides a novel approach for investigating cosmological datasets. Through a fast computational simulation method inspired by the behavior of Physarum…
Belgium is amongst few artificial countries, established on purpose, when Dutch and French speaking parts were joined in a single unit. This makes Belgium a particularly interesting testbed for studying bio-inspired techniques for…
In this demo, we present a novel technique for approximating topologically optimal scaffoldings for 3D printed objects using a Monte Carlo algorithm based on the foraging behavior of the Physarum polycephalum slime mold. As a case study, we…
Robotic materials are multi-robot systems formulated to leverage the low-order computation and actuation of the constituents to manipulate the high-order behavior of the entire material. We study the behaviors of ensembles composed of smart…
We present an innovative robotic device designed to provide controlled motion for studying active matter. Motion is driven by an internal vibrator powered by a small rechargeable battery. The system integrates acoustic and magnetic sensors…
Using a particle model of Physarum displaying emer- gent morphological adaptation behaviour we demonstrate how a minimal approach to collective material computation may be used to transform and summarise properties of spatially represented…
Motivated by recent experimental studies, we derive and analyze a twodimensional model for the contraction patterns observed in protoplasmic droplets of Physarum polycephalum. The model couples a model of an active poroelastic two-phase…
While its biological significance is well-documented, its application in soft robotics, particularly for the transport of fragile and irregularly shaped objects, remains underexplored. This study presents a modular soft robotic actuator…
In this work we study and expand a model describing the dynamics of a unicellular slime mold, Physarum Polycephalum (PP), which was proposed to simulate the ability of PP to find the shortest path connecting two food sources in a maze. The…
Soft materials have many important roles in animal locomotion and object manipulation. In robotic applications soft materials can store and release energy, absorb impacts, increase compliance and increase the range of possible shape…
In systems possessing spatial or dynamical symmetry breaking, Brownian motion combined with symmetric external input signals, deterministic or random, alike, can assist directed motion of particles at the submicron scales. In such cases,…
Coordination of cytoplasmic flows on large scales in space and time are at the root of many cellular processes, including growth, migration or division. These flows are driven by organized contractions of the actomyosin cortex. In order to…