Spore-Spitting Slime Molds Make Great Computer Hardware

Slime-Mold-660X525

Spore-Spitting Slime Molds Make Great Computer Hardware via Bruce.

We’ve long known the slime mold can determine the shortest path through a maze, or even model optimal railway systems. Now, a group of researchers has shown these amoeba-like single-cell organisms could be used to build general-purpose computers.

In a paper published last week on the academic research website arXiv, scientists from the University of the West of England confirm Physarum polycephalum slime molds can act as memristors, a new type of resistor, a key component of electrical circuits. The paper has not yet been submitted to any scientific journals.

Memristors, like resistors, regulate the flow of electricity through a circuit, but they can “remember” a particular charge even when it’s turned off. This means they could be used to create more efficient computer memory. HP claims to have built a real-world memristor and has been working to commercialize the technology for the past few years, though some scientists have claimed HP’s inventions are not actually memristors. Others, meanwhile, have looked to biological systems for examples of working memristors.


Have an amazing project to share? The Electronics Show and Tell is every Wednesday at 7:30pm ET! To join, head over to YouTube and check out the show’s live chat and our Discord!

Join us every Wednesday night at 8pm ET for Ask an Engineer!

Join over 38,000+ makers on Adafruit’s Discord channels and be part of the community! http://adafru.it/discord

CircuitPython – The easiest way to program microcontrollers – CircuitPython.org


New Products – Adafruit Industries – Makers, hackers, artists, designers and engineers! — New Products 11/15/2024 Featuring Adafruit bq25185 USB / DC / Solar Charger with 3.3V Buck Board! (Video)

Python for Microcontrollers – Adafruit Daily — Python on Microcontrollers Newsletter: A New Arduino MicroPython Package Manager, How-Tos and Much More! #CircuitPython #Python #micropython @ThePSF @Raspberry_Pi

EYE on NPI – Adafruit Daily — EYE on NPI Maxim’s Himalaya uSLIC Step-Down Power Module #EyeOnNPI @maximintegrated @digikey

Adafruit IoT Monthly — The 2024 Recap Issue!

Maker Business – Adafruit Daily — Apple to build another chip at TSMC Arizona

Electronics – Adafruit Daily — SMT Tip – Stop moving around!

Get the only spam-free daily newsletter about wearables, running a "maker business", electronic tips and more! Subscribe at AdafruitDaily.com !


No Comments

No comments yet.

Sorry, the comment form is closed at this time.