A analysis staff led by the College of Engineering of the Hong Kong College of Science and Know-how (HKUST) has developed a liquid metal-based digital logic gadget that mimics the clever prey-capture mechanism of Venus flytraps. Exhibiting reminiscence and counting properties, the gadget can intelligently reply to numerous stimulus sequences with out the necessity for extra digital parts. The clever methods and logic mechanisms within the gadget present a recent perspective on understanding “intelligence” in nature and provide inspiration for the event of “embodied intelligence.”
The distinctive prey-capture mechanism of Venus flytraps has at all times been an intriguing analysis focus within the realm of organic intelligence. This mechanism permits them to successfully distinguish between varied exterior stimuli comparable to single and double touches, thereby distinguishing between environmental disturbances comparable to raindrops (single contact) and bugs (double touches), making certain profitable prey seize. This performance is primarily attributed to the sensory hairs on the carnivorous crops, which exhibit options akin to reminiscence and counting, enabling them to understand stimuli, generate motion potentials (a change {of electrical} alerts in cells in response to stimulus), and keep in mind the stimuli for a brief length.
Impressed by the interior electrical sign accumulation/decay mannequin of Venus flytraps, Prof. SHEN Yajing, Affiliate Professor of the Division of Digital and Laptop Engineering (ECE) at HKUST, who led the analysis, joined arms together with his former PhD pupil at Metropolis College of Hong Kong, Dr. YANG Yuanyuan, now Affiliate Professor at Xiamen College, proposed a liquid metal-based logic module (LLM) based mostly on the extension/contraction deformation of liquid metallic wires. The gadget employs liquid metallic wires in sodium hydroxide resolution because the conductive medium, controlling the size of the liquid metallic wires based mostly on electrochemical results, thereby regulating cathode output in line with the stimuli utilized to the anode and gate. Analysis outcomes show that the LLM itself can memorize the length and interval {of electrical} stimuli, calculate the buildup of alerts from a number of stimuli, and exhibit vital logical capabilities just like these of Venus flytraps.
To show, Prof. Shen and Dr. Yang constructed a synthetic Venus flytrap system comprising the LLM clever decision-making gadget, switch-based sensory hair, and gentle electrical actuator-based petal, replicating the predation means of Venus flytraps. Moreover, they showcased the potential functions of LLM in purposeful circuit integration, filtering, synthetic neural networks, and extra. Their work not solely gives insights into simulating clever behaviors in crops, but additionally serves as a dependable reference for the event of subsequent organic sign simulator gadgets and biologically impressed clever methods.
“When folks point out ‘synthetic intelligence’, they typically consider intelligence that mimics animal nervous methods. Nevertheless, in nature, many crops may also show intelligence by way of particular materials and structural mixtures. Analysis on this course gives a brand new perspective and method for us to grasp ‘intelligence’ in nature and assemble ‘life-like intelligence’,” stated Prof. Shen.
“A number of years in the past, when Dr. Yang was nonetheless pursuing her PhD in my analysis group, we mentioned the thought of setting up clever entities impressed by crops collectively. It’s gratifying that after a number of years of effort, now we have achieved the conceptual verification and simulation of Venus flytrap intelligence. Nevertheless, it’s price noting that this work remains to be comparatively preliminary, and there may be a lot work to be achieved sooner or later, comparable to designing extra environment friendly buildings, decreasing the scale of gadgets, and enhancing system responsiveness,” added Prof. Shen.
