On hybrid circuits exploiting thermistive properties of slime mould

Sci Rep. 2016 Apr 6:6:23924. doi: 10.1038/srep23924.

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 types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Agar / chemistry
  • Cytoplasm / metabolism
  • Electric Impedance
  • Electrodes
  • Electrophysiology / instrumentation*
  • Electrophysiology / methods
  • Hot Temperature
  • Movement
  • Physarum polycephalum / physiology*
  • Reproducibility of Results

Substances

  • Agar