Sounds Synthesis with Slime Mould of Physarum Polycephalum

TL;DR

This paper presents a novel method to convert the electrical activity of Physarum polycephalum into sound, enabling the representation and control of its behaviour through auditory means.

Contribution

It introduces a new approach to synthesize sounds from slime mould's electrical signals and demonstrates control over its behaviour to produce desired sound patterns.

Findings

Electrical activity correlates with physiological states.

Sound synthesis from slime mould's signals is feasible.

Behaviour can be manipulated to shape sound output.

Abstract

Physarum polycephalum is a huge single cell with thousands of nuclei, which behaves like a giant amoeba. During its foraging behaviour this plasmodium produces electrical activity corresponding to different physiological states. We developed a method to render sounds from such electrical activity and thus represent spatio-temporal behaviour of slime mould in a form apprehended by humans. We show to control behaviour of slime mould to shape it towards reproduction of required range of sounds.