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Robotic Mold
Canis Lupus writes to mention that researchers from the University of West England are designing the world's first biological robot, constructed from mold. The robot, "Plasmobot," will be created using vegetative slime mold called plasmodium (Physarum polycephalum) that is commonly found in forests, gardens, and most damp places in the UK. "This new plasmodium robot, called plasmobot, will sense objects, span them in the shortest and best way possible, and transport tiny objects along pre-programmed directions. The robots will have parallel inputs and outputs, a network of sensors and the number crunching power of super computers. The plasmobot will be controlled by spatial gradients of light, electro-magnetic fields and the characteristics of the substrate on which it is placed. It will be a fully controllable and programmable amorphous intelligent robot with an embedded massively parallel computer."
... is amazing! Kinda looks like my son took 2 of his matchbox cars and drove them thru his dinner plate. :-P
"...number crunching power of super computers... It will be a fully controllable and programmable amorphous intelligent robot with an embedded massively parallel computer." I don't think that means what you think it means...
Just because I can hook a shark from a boat, I do no offer to wrestle it in the water.
And what exactly do they intend to use it for? Does this have any practical applications where it would be superior to an inorganic robot that isn't at risk of being eaten by the first moderately complex organism that thinks mold looks tasty?
Scientists point out problems, engineers fix them
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The article explains what's meant by saying that the "robot" will compute: "Most people's idea of a computer is a piece of hardware with software designed to carry out specific tasks. This mould, or plasmodium, is a naturally occurring substance with its own embedded intelligence. It propagates and searches for sources of nutrients and when it finds such sources it branches out in a series of veins of protoplasm. The plasmodium is capable of solving complex computational tasks, such as the shortest path between points and other logical calculations. Through previous experiments we have already demonstrated the ability of this mould to transport objects. By feeding it oat flakes, it grows tubes which oscillate and make it move in a certain direction carrying objects with it. We can also use light or chemical stimuli to make it grow in a certain direction."
That's like saying that the bamboo plant on my desk is a robot. It, too, transports substances in a direction determined by light input, and computes the optimal direction for approaching a light source. I could even claim that I'm adding "logic gates" to it by covering or pruning certain leaves.
Says the article, the mold robot has "the number crunching power of super computers" because it carries out computing tasks. That claim is also pretty silly. The A* algorithm can find the shortest distance between paths, and it doesn't require anything that could be called a supercomputer today.
So, this thing is a "robot" in the sense that pointing at random objects and calling yourself a master of "found art" is art.
Revive the Constitution.
The previous attemp contained in papers stored in the head, using hebrew text as programming language.
Adamatzky I'm already familiar with, citing his Chemical Computer in a senior paper to finish my CS degree. This is no more crazy than using electrostatic foam to compute.
Great, now I'll be allergic to my electronics too. Nature I can escape, but mold in my computer??
This mould, or plasmodium, is a naturally occurring substance with its own embedded intelligence. It propagates and searches for sources of nutrients and when it finds such sources it branches out in a series of veins of protoplasm.
Does this worry anyone else?
I think it can be summed up best as "what could possibly grow wrong?"
UNIX? They're not even circumcised! Savages!
Bite my slimey moldy ass!
From an unlikely source: PubMed http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez
Search terms "plasmodium Physarum polycephalum"
I went looking for negative stuff, knowing plasmodiums were behind malaria. Couldn't find any for this stuff, but I did find some juicy bits from biomedical science regarding its computational ability, or rather its internal processes that can be used as such. Not many will be able to get the referenced material, but just the abstracts are tasty.
"I may be synthetic, but I'm not stupid." -- Bishop 341-B
I noticed a tiny mistake in TFS. Since it's British, they should have spelled it "mould", becauuse American mold is so different. British mold doesn't even have color -- it has colours.
Free Martian Whores!
Why is it lately that every time there's any slashdot story about any research whatever, somebody has to pipe in that it's "just another article about someone getting research money"?
What's the matter, can't get your project funded?
Free Martian Whores!
This plasmodium doesn't hold a candle to my plasmondilium
Translation for our readers in New Zealand, he means "monster size".
I, for one, welcome our new smelly, slimy, moldy robotic overlords....ewww....
My blog
My bathroom has enough slime and mold to corner the market with. I knew I was keeping it for something big.
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..@F.....
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You hit the brown mold. You are suddenly very cold!
or moldy loaf of sliced bread? You decide!
Blearf. Blearf, I say.
In spite of what some sour little "toad's tool" with mod points and a lack of morels seems to believe, Slashdot always has shroom for a little humour.
I've calculated my velocity with such exquisite precision that I have no idea where I am.
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