Slime mold microfluidic logical gates

Adamatzky, Andrew; Schubert, Theresa

Abstract

We demonstrate how logical operations can be implemented in ensembles of protoplasmic tubes of acellular slime mold Physarum polycephalum. The tactile response of the protoplasmic tubes is used to actuate analogs of two- and four-input logical gates and memory devices. The slime mold tube logical gates display results of logical operations by blocking flow in mechanically stimulated tube fragments and redirecting the flow to output tube fragments. We demonstrate how XOR and NOR gates are constructed. We also exemplify circuits of hybrid gates and a memory device. The slime mold based gates are non-electronic, simple and inexpensive, and several gates can be realized simultaneously at sites where protoplasmic tubes merge. © 2014 Elsevier Ltd.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Publication Date: Mar 19, 2014
• Deposit Date: Aug 25, 2015
• Publicly Available Date: Feb 11, 2016
• Journal: Materials Today
• Print ISSN: 1369-7021
• Electronic ISSN: 1369-7021
• Publisher: Elsevier
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 17
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 86-91
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2014.01.018
• Keywords: gates, computing
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/820673
• Publisher URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mattod.2014.01.018
• Contract Date: Feb 11, 2016