Title: Slime mould computes planar shapes

Authors: Andrew Adamatzky

Addresses: Unconventional Computing Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol BS16 1QY, UK

Abstract: 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 α-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 dataset. The plasmodium moves towards the data and envelops it by pronounced protoplasmic tubes.

Keywords: unconventional computing; Physarum polycephalum; convex hulls; concave hulls; alpha shape; slime mould; planar shapes; plasmodium; protoplasmic tubes; polygons; computational geometry; planar points; bio-inspired computation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBIC.2012.047239

International Journal of Bio-Inspired Computation, 2012 Vol.4 No.3, pp.149 - 154

Received: 05 Sep 2011
Accepted: 24 Dec 2011
Published online: 22 Sep 2014 *

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