Brazilian highways from slime mold's point of view

Abstract

Purpose -This paper seeks to develop experimental laboratory biological techniques for approximation of existing road networks, optimizing transport links, and designing alternative optimal solutions to current transport problems. It studies how slime mould of Physarum polycephalum approximate highway networks of Brazil. Design/methodology/approach -The 21 most populous urban areas in Brazil are considered and represented with source of nutrients placed in the positions of slime mould growing substrate corresponding to the areas. At the beginning of each experiment slime mould is inoculated in São Paulo area. Slime mould exhibits foraging behavior and spans sources of nutrients (which represent urban areas) with a network of protoplasmic tubes (which approximate vehicular transport networks). The structure of transport networks developed by slime mould are analyzed and compared with families of known proximity graphs. The paper also imitates slime-mould response to simulated disaster. Findings -It was found that the plasmodium of P. polycephalum develops a minimal approximation of a transport network spanning urban areas. Physarum-developed network matches man-made highway network very well. The high degree of similarity is preserved even when high-demand constraints are placed on repeatability of links in the experiments. Physarum approximates almost all major transport links. In response to a sudden disaster, gradually spreading from its epicenter, the Physarum transport networks react by abandoning transport links affected by disaster zone, enhancement of those unaffected directly by the disaster, massive sprouting from the epicenter, and increase of scouting activity in the regions distant to the epicenter of the disaster. Originality/value -Experimental methods and computer analysis techniques presented in the paper lay a foundation of novel biological laboratory approaches to imitation and prognostication of socio-economical developments.

Emerging Biology-based CI Algorithms

“…There are several slime mold related applications can be found in the literature (Umedachi et al 2010;Tero et al 2010;Adamatzky and Oliveira 2011;Li et al 2011;Shann 2008) To implement SSOA, the following steps need to be performed (Li et al 2011):…”

An anticipation mechanism for the shortest path problem based onPhysarum polycephalum

“…That is why they are becoming more and more popular nowadays. Among them, there is a large organism called Physarum polycephalum, which is shown to be capable of solving many graphic theoretical problems, such as network design (Adamatzky 2012a;Adamatzky, de Pedro, and Oliveira 2011;Adamatzky, Lees, and Sloot 2013;Tero et al 2010), the shortest path tree problem , the shortest path finding problem (Adamatzky 2012b;Nakagaki et al 2007), and road planning (Adamatzky and Jones 2010). Nakagaki, Yamada, and Tóth (2000) have shown that Physarum has the ability to find the minimum-length solution between two points in a labyrinth.…”

Schlauschleimer in Reichsautobahnen

“…An early evaluation of the road‐modelling potential of P. polycephalum in 2007 (Adamatzky, 2007a) came to no definite conclusion. However, significant progress has been made since that time; such as has been reported in our recent papers on approximation of highways systems in the UK (Adamatzky and Jones, 2010), Mexico (Adamatzky et al , 2011), The Netherlands (Adamatzky et al , 2012), Iberia (Adamatzky and Alonso‐Sanz, 2011) and Brazil (Adamatzky and de Oliveir, 2011). For all of these countries we found that the network of protoplasmic tubes developed by P. polycephalum matches, at least partly, network of human‐made transport systems; though the closeness of fit varies from country to country.…”