ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

Home → Research → Technology

Scientists devise computer using swarms of soldier crabs

Tibi PuiubyTibi Puiu
April 18, 2012
in Research, Technology
A A
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterSubmit to Reddit

RelatedPosts

New transistor boasts neuron-like capabilities. It learns as it computes, hinting towards a new parallel computing future
Your smartphone is millions of times more powerful than the Apollo 11 guidance computers
A computer made from water droplets
Duo of neural networks get within a pixel of reading our mind and re-creating what’s there

Computing using unconventional methods found in nature has become an important branch of computer science, which might aid scientists construct more robust and reliable devices. For instance, the ability of biological systems to assemble and grow on their own enables much higher interconnection densities or swarm intelligence algorithms, like ant colonies that find optimal paths to food sources. But its one thing to get inspired by nature to build computing devices, and another to use nature itself as the main computing component.

A series of snapshots in OR gate of swarm balls (credit: Yukio-Pegio Gunji, Yuta Nishiyama, Andrew Adamatzky)
A series of snapshots in OR gate of swarm balls (credit: Yukio-Pegio Gunji, Yuta Nishiyama, Andrew Adamatzky)

Previously, scientific groups have used all sorts of natural computation mechanisms like fluids or even DNA and bacteria. Now, a team of  computer scientists, lead by Yukio-Pegio Gunji from Kobe University in Japan, have successfully created a computer that exploits the swarming behaviour of soldier crabs. Yup, that’s nothing you hear every day.

For their eccentric choice of computing agent, the researchers’ inspired themselves from the billiard ball computer model, a classic reversible mechanical computer, mainly used for didactic purposes first proposed in 1982 by Edward Fredkin and Tommaso Toffoli.

The billiard ball computer model can be used as a Boolean circuit, only instead of wires it uses the paths on which the balls travel, the information is encoded by the presence or absence of a ball on the path (1 and 0), and its logic gates (AND/OR/NOT) are simulated by collisions of balls at points where their paths cross. Now, instead of billiard balls think crabs!

“These creatures seem to be uniquely suited for this form of information processing . They live under the sand in tidal lagoons and emerge at low tide in swarms of hundreds of thousands.

What’s interesting about the crabs is that they appear to demonstrate two distinct forms of behaviour. When in the middle of a swarm, they simply follow whoever is nearby. But when they find themselves on on the edge of a swarm, they change.

Suddenly, they become aggressive leaders and charge off into the watery distance with their swarm in tow, until by some accident of turbulence they find themselves inside the swarm again.

This turns out to be hugely robust behaviour that can be easily controlled. When placed next to a wall, a leader will always follow the wall in a direction that can be controlled by shadowing the swarm from above to mimic to the presence of the predatory birds that eat the crabs. ” MIT tech report

Thus, the researchers were able to construct a computer which uses solider crabs for transmitting information. They were able to build a decent OR gate using the crabs, their AND-gates were a lot less reliable however. A more crab-friendly environment would’ve rendered better results, the researchers believe.

The findings were published in the journal Emerging Technologies.

Tags: computercomputer sciencecomputinglogic gate

ShareTweetShare
Tibi Puiu

Tibi Puiu

Related Posts

Future

Can you upload a human mind into a computer? Here’s what a neuroscientist has to say about it

byDobromir Rahnev
1 month ago
Science

A Team of Researchers Brought the World’s First Chatbot Back to Life After 60 Years

byMihai Andrei
1 month ago
Future

Scientists build ‘hybrid computer’ by combining lab-grown human brain tissue with electronics

byTibi Puiu
2 years ago
Future

New magneto-electric transistor cuts energy use while saving space. Here’s why this could be huge

byTibi Puiu
3 years ago

Recent news

China Resurrected an Abandoned Soviet ‘Sea Monster’ That’s Part Airplane, Part Hovercraft

June 30, 2025
great white shark

This Shark Expert Has Spent Decades Studying Attacks and Says We’ve Been Afraid for the Wrong Reasons

June 30, 2025

A Rocket Carried Cannabis Seeds and 166 Human Remains into Space But Their Capsule Never Made It Back

June 30, 2025
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Editorial Policy
  • Privacy Policy and Terms of Use
  • How we review products
  • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Science News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Space
  • Future
  • Features
    • Natural Sciences
    • Physics
      • Matter and Energy
      • Quantum Mechanics
      • Thermodynamics
    • Chemistry
      • Periodic Table
      • Applied Chemistry
      • Materials
      • Physical Chemistry
    • Biology
      • Anatomy
      • Biochemistry
      • Ecology
      • Genetics
      • Microbiology
      • Plants and Fungi
    • Geology and Paleontology
      • Planet Earth
      • Earth Dynamics
      • Rocks and Minerals
      • Volcanoes
      • Dinosaurs
      • Fossils
    • Animals
      • Mammals
      • Birds
      • Fish
      • Amphibians
      • Reptiles
      • Invertebrates
      • Pets
      • Conservation
      • Animal facts
    • Climate and Weather
      • Climate change
      • Weather and atmosphere
    • Health
      • Drugs
      • Diseases and Conditions
      • Human Body
      • Mind and Brain
      • Food and Nutrition
      • Wellness
    • History and Humanities
      • Anthropology
      • Archaeology
      • History
      • Economics
      • People
      • Sociology
    • Space & Astronomy
      • The Solar System
      • Sun
      • The Moon
      • Planets
      • Asteroids, meteors & comets
      • Astronomy
      • Astrophysics
      • Cosmology
      • Exoplanets & Alien Life
      • Spaceflight and Exploration
    • Technology
      • Computer Science & IT
      • Engineering
      • Inventions
      • Sustainability
      • Renewable Energy
      • Green Living
    • Culture
    • Resources
  • Videos
  • Reviews
  • About Us
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Editorial policy
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2025 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.