On hybrid circuits exploiting thermistive properties of slime mould
Abstract
Slime mould Physarum polycephalum is a single cell visible by the unaided eye. Let the slime mould span two electrodes with a single protoplasmic tube: if the tube is heated to approximately ≈40 °C, the electrical resistance of the protoplasmic tube increases from ≈3 MΩ to ≈10,000 MΩ. The organism’s resistance is not proportional nor correlated to the temperature of its environment. Slime mould can therefore not be considered as a thermistor but rather as a thermic switch. We employ the P. polycephalum thermic switch to prototype hybrid electrical analog summator, NAND gates, and cascade the gates into Flip-Flop latch. Computing operations performed on this bio-hybrid computing circuitry feature high repeatability, reproducibility and comparably low propagation delays.
- Publication:
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Scientific Reports
- Pub Date:
- April 2016
- DOI:
- 10.1038/srep23924
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1512.02483
- Bibcode:
- 2016NatSR...623924W
- Keywords:
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- Computer Science - Emerging Technologies
- E-Print:
- 9 pages, 6 figures &