Phenomenology of retained refractoriness: On semi-memristive discrete media

We study two-dimensional cellular automata, each cell takes three states: resting, excited and refractory. A resting cell excites if number of excited neighbours lies in a certain interval (excitation interval). An excited cell become refractory independently on states of its neighbours. A refractory cell returns to a resting state only if the number of excited neighbours belong to recovery interval. The model is an excitable cellular automaton abstraction of a spatially extended semi-memristive medium where a cell's resting state symbolises low-resistance and refractory state high-resistance. The medium is semi-memristive because only transition from high- to low-resistance is controlled by density of local excitation. We present phenomenological classification of the automata behaviour for all possible excitation intervals and recovery intervals. We describe eleven classes of cellular automata with retained refractoriness based on criteria of space-filling ratio, morphological and generative diversity, and types of travelling localisations

Slime mould tactile sensor

Slime mould P. polycephalum is a single cells visible by unaided eye. The cells shows a wide spectrum of intelligent behaviour. By interpreting the behaviour in terms of computation one can make a slime mould based computing device. The Physarum computers are capable to solve a range of tasks of computational geometry, optimisation and logic. Physarum computers designed so far lack of localised inputs. Commonly used inputs --- illumination and chemo-attractants and -repellents --- usually act on extended domains of the slime mould's body. Aiming to design massive-parallel tactile inputs for slime mould computers we analyse a temporal dynamic of P. polycephalum's electrical response to tactile stimulation. In experimental laboratory studies we discover how the Physarum responds to application and removal of a local mechanical pressure with electrical potential impulses and changes in its electrical potential oscillation patterns

Slime mould computes planar shapes

Computing a polygon defining a set of planar points is a classical problem of modern computational geometry. In laboratory experiments we demonstrate that a concave hull, a connected alpha-shape without holes, of a finite planar set is approximated by slime mould Physarum polycephalum. We represent planar points with sources of long-distance attractants and short-distance repellents and inoculate a piece of plasmodium outside the data set. The plasmodium moves towards the data and envelops it by pronounced protoplasmic tubes