Programmable reconfiguration of Physarum machines

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates how Physarum polycephalum can be programmed to perform computational operations, effectively implementing a biological storage modification machine through its foraging behavior and protoplasmic tube network.

Contribution

It introduces a method to program Physarum-based storage modification machines, showcasing programmable operations on active zones in laboratory and simulation settings.

Findings

Physarum can perform merge, multiple, translate, and direct active zone operations.

Experimental and simulation results confirm programmable behavior.

Provides a foundation for biological substrate-based computing devices.

Abstract

Plasmodium of Physarum polycephalum is a large cell capable of solving graph-theoretic, optimization and computational geometry problems due to its unique foraging behavior. Also the plasmodium is unique biological substrate that mimics universal storage modification machines, namely the Kolmogorov-Uspensky machine. In the plasmodium implementation of the storage modification machine data are represented by sources of nutrients and memory structure by protoplasmic tubes connecting the sources. In laboratory experiments and simulation we demonstrate how the plasmodium-based storage modification machine can be programmed. We show execution of the following operations with active zone (where computation occurs): merge two active zones, multiple active zone, translate active zone from one data site to another, direct active zone. Results of the paper bear two-fold value: they provide a basis for programming unconventional devices based on biological substrates and also shed light on behavioral patterns of the plasmodium.