1. Anirban Bandyopadhyay, Researcher,
   National Institute of Materials Science (NIMS), Sengen, Japan, Advanced Nano Characterisation Center (ANCC)
   

   Title:

   Computational feasibility of conventional Cellular Automata problems on an organic molecular matrix

   Abstract:

   We have self-assembled organic molecular multi-level switches as a functional information processing circuit on an atomic flat metallic substrate where each molecule can process more than one bit information. Exploring the structural fluctuation of the bilayer, we have successfully tuned the molecular states in such a way that we can evolve the cellular automata rules. Simply by analyzing the contrast of molecules in the tunneling current image it is possible to reveal the spontaneous transport rules of the information states or molecular conductance states. A dedicated program is constructed to analyze the local changes (of single molecule) in the Scanning Tunneling Microscopic (STM) image of a molecular layer and the program is capable of extracting the elementary information transport rules from a series of STM images that depicts the evolution of a solution/phenomenon. Using this program, a rigorous statistical analysis of the surface transport has been made. We have further programmed some of these rules to analyze conventional CA computability on the organic molecular layer. Note that, since we can tune the molecular circuit, we can make some rules active and some rules passive and this feature has enabled us to carry out CA computation on the simulator. We have shown in this paper with 10 examples how effectively conventional CA problems could be attacked using only a few sets of rules of this molecular cellular automata.

   
   
2. Laszlo B. Kish, Professor,
   Texas A&M University, Dept. of Electrical & Computer Engineering
   

   Co-authors:

   S.M. Bezrukov (National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD, USA), S. Khatri (Texas A&M University, USA), Z. Gingl (University of Szeged, Hungary), S. Sethuraman (Texas A&M University, USA)

   Title:

   Noise-based logic and computing: from Boolean logic gates to brain circuitry and its possible hardware realization

   Abstract:

   When noise dominates an information system, like in nano-electronic systems of the foreseeable future, some natural questions arise: Can we utilize the noise as information carrier? Can a deterministic logic scheme be constructed that explains how the brain may efficiently process information, with random neural spike trains of less than 100 Hz frequency, and with a similar number of neurons as the number of transistors in a 16 GB Flash dive? The answers to both these questions are affirmative. Related developments indicate reduced power consumption with noise-based deterministic Boolean logic gates and more efficient multi-valued logic. Additionally, similar schemes as the Hilbert space of quantum informatics can be constructed by utilizing noise-bits and their multidimensional hyperspace without the limitations of quantum computers. A noise-based string search algorithm with a faster speed than Grover's quantum search algorithm is obtained with a similar hardware complexity as the quantum engine. This logic hyperspace scheme has also been utilized to construct noise-based neuro-bits as well as a deterministic multi-valued logic scheme for the brain. Some questions and answers about the chip realization of such a random spike based deterministic multi-valued logic scheme will be presented.

   
   
3. Bruce J. MacLennan, Associate Professor,
   University of Tennessee, TN, Dept. of Electrical Engineering & Computer Science
   

   Title:

   Models and Mechanisms for Artificial Morphogenesis

   Abstract:

   Embryological development provides an inspiring example of the creation of complex hierarchical structures by self-organization. Likewise, biological metamorphosis shows how these complex systems can radically restructure themselves. Our research investigates these principles and their application to artificial systems in order to create intricately structured systems that are ordered from the nanoscale up to the macroscale. However these processes depend on mutually interdependent unfoldings of an information process and of the "body" in which it is occurring. Such embodied computation provides challenges as well as opportunities, and in order to fulfill its promise, we need both formal and informal models for conceptualizing, designing, and reasoning about embodied computation. In this talk I will present a preliminary design for one such model especially oriented toward artificial morphogenesis.

   
   
4. Masayuki Murata, Professor,
   Osaka University, Japan, Dept. of Information Networking
   

   Title:

   Biologically-Inspired Network Architecture for Future Networks

   Abstract:

   An architecture for future networks (or, new-generation networks), which could be different from the current Internet architecture, is currently actively discussed in a "clean-slate" fashion. We first point out why such an approach is important, and how we can reach a new era of future networks. Then, we introduce our approach towards a new network architecture, which is biologically-inspired and self-organized. The robustness and adaptiveness attained by the bio-inspired approach is quite useful for satisfying the requirements of future networks. Some examples of our approach are given to demonstrate its importance.

   
   
5. Toshio Nakagaki,
   Hokkaido University, Japan, Research Institute for Electronic Science
   

   Title:

   Negotiating multi-purpose optimization problem by means of the adaptive method inspired by a single celled organism Physarum

   Abstract:

   Bio-inspired methods for solving combinatorial optimization problems have been proposed so far and they stimulate wide-open studies for fundamental mechanism of how ability of problem-solving is self-organized in living systems. The examples of method are ant colony optimization, swarm intelligence, genetic algorithm, etc. Here we report a new method for multi-pourpose optimization, which is inspired by an amoeboid organism of Physarum plasmodium. The organism can give Pareto frontier in a kind of multi-purpose optimization problem. We propose a mathematical model for such cell behaviors and discussion is made from a computational point of view.

   
   
6. Milan N. Stojanovic(Web page), Professor,
   

   Title:

   Approaches to molecular computing and robotics

   Abstract:

   Over the past several years we (multi-institutional collaboration) have invested considerable time in understanding and optimizing the random walker now known as the molecular spider. The spider has several legs based on deoxyribozymes, which are single stranded nucleic acids that fold themselves into catalytically active structures and, in this case, cleaving other oligonucleotides. When a surface or a matrix is covered with substrates, a spider will randomly walk over the surface or through the matrix, binding both substrates (stronger binding) and products (weaker binding), while cleaving substrates into products. This particular type of random walk was conceptually novel, and was reduced by a pair of theoreticians to the execution of two simple local residency rules ("Krapivsky-Antal" rules): (i) a leg spends t=1 unit of time on the site that was previously visited; and (ii) a leg spends t>1 unit on the site that is visited for the first time (this change after the first visit is equivalent to a memory of the process). These two rules lead to rapid diffusion of a multilegged species towards new substrates due to asymmetric behavior (Brownian ratchet-like) on the shifting product-substrate interface. The ability to explain spider behavior through simple rules was inspirational because it opened up the possibility of adding further layers of rules, leading to more complex interactions between spiders and their environment, as well as within collectives of spiders. In the second part of the seminar, I will discuss our, well established, deoxyribozyme-based logic gates, and devices we build out of them: We started with deoxyribozymes, single-stranded nucleic acid catalysts capable of cleaving other oligonucleotides. This time, however, we fused the core structure with a recognition motif called a stem-loop (inspired by so-called "molecular beacons" and "modular design"). Doing so leads to the construction of oligonucleotide sensors because the deoxyribozyme is designed to become activated only in the presence of an oligonucleotide that is complementary to the loop. While this concept initially did not seem very powerful, the situation quickly changed when we combined more than one recognition motif with deoxyribozymes. The result was the first complete set of Lego-like artificial solution-phase molecular logic gates, namely, molecules that can integrate the presence or absence of a number of oligonucleotides (inputs) in solution into an enzymatic activity (output). We say that these molecules and their mixtures perform Boolean logic operations because the input-dependent activity can be presented in the form of look-up tables (truth tables). Indeed, this method allowed us to seamlessly execute, simply by adding more and more individual gates, the most complex molecular computing protocols to date.

1. Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, Research Fellow,
   Waterford Insitute of Technology, Ireland, Telecommunications Software & Systems Group (TSSG)
   

   Title:

   The Effect of Community on Distributed Bio-Inspired Service Composition

   Abstract:

   The Future Internet is expected to cater for both a larger number and variety of services, which in turn will make basic tasks such as service lifecycle management increasingly important and difficult. At the same time, the ability for users to efficiently discover and compose these services will become a key factor for service providers to differentiate themselves in a competitive market. In previous work, we examined the effect adding biological mechanisms to services had on service management and discovery. In this paper we examine the effects of community on services, specifically in terms of composing services in a distributed fashion. By introducing aspects of community we aim to demonstrate that services can further improve their sustainability and indeed their efficiency.

   
   
2. Andrew Kilinga Kikombo, Ph.D. Student,
   Hokkaido University, Japan
   

   Title:

   Neuro-morphic circuit architectures employing temporal noises and device fluctuations to enhance signal-to-noise ratio in pulse density modulation

   Abstract:

   This paper proposes novel circuit architectures exploiting noises to enhance performance of single-electron neuronal circuits. The circuits employ static noises (resulting from fabrication mismatches) and temporal noises (emanating from thermally induced tunneling events). We confirmed that employing noises reduces the probability of synchrony among the neurons, leading to well distributed firing events in the network. In this paper, we propose two noise-driven circuits and demonstrate that noises indeed (i) enhance the fidelity with which neurons can encode (transmit) high-frequency input signals and (ii) improve the signal-to-noise ratio in 1-bit analog-to-digital converter (pulse-density modulator) exhibiting noise shaping.

   
   
3. Jia Lee,
   National Institute of Information and Communication Technology, Japan,
   Chong-Qing University, China,
   

   Title:

   Efficient Computation in Brownian Cellular Automata

   Co-author:

   Ferdinand Peper (National Institute of Information and Communications Technology, Japan)

   Abstract:

   A Brownian Cellular Automaton (BCA) is a kind of asynchronous cellular automaton, in which certain local configurations--like signals--propagate randomly in the cellular space, resembling Brownian motion. The Brownian-like behavior is driven by three kinds of local transition rules, two of which are locally reversible and rotation symmetric, thus mapping a rule's left-hand side into a right-hand side that is equivalent modulus rotations of multiples of 90 degrees. As a result, any update of cells using these rules can always be followed by a reversed update undoing it; this resembles the reversal of chemical reactions or other molecular processes. The third transition rule is not reversible and is merely used for diffusive purposes, so that signals can fluctuate forward and backward on wires like with random walks of molecules. The use of only these three rules is sufficient for embedding arbitrary asynchronous circuits on the cellular automaton, thus making it computationally universal. Key to this universality is the straightforward implementation of signal propagation as well as of the active backtracking of cell updates, which enables an effective realization of arbitration and choice  Ea functionality that is essential for asynchronous circuits but usually hard to implement efficiently on non-Brownian cellular automata. We show how to speed up the operation of circuits embedded in our BCA. One method focuses on the design scheme of the circuits, by confining all necessary Brownian motions to local configurations representing primitive elements of circuits, such that a wire connecting two elements no longer needs backward propagation of signals on it, thus allowing the use of conventional design schemes of asynchronous circuits without change. Another method is to implement ratchets on the input and output lines by using various configurations in the cellular space, so as to further increase the speeds of signals on the wires.

   
   
4. Yuki Moritani,
   NTT DoCoMo, Japan
   

   Title:

   Efficient Computation in Brownian Cellular Automata

   Abstract:

   Molecular communication uses molecules (i.e., chemical signals) as an information carrier and allows biologically- and artificially-created nano- or cell-scale entities to communicate over a short distance. It is a new communication paradigm and is different from the traditional communication paradigm that uses electromagnetic waves (i.e., electronic and optical signals) as an information carrier. This paper focuses on system design and experimental results of molecular communication and briefly refers to recent activities in molecular communication.

   
   
5. Manish Dev Shrimali, Assistant Professor,
   The LNM Institute of Information Technology, India
   

   Title:

   Asynchronous dynamics and nonuniform coupling of coupled chaotic systems

   Abstract:

   Coupled chaotic systems with threshold activated coupling are studied under asynchronous dynamical updating and non-uniform coupling. The coupling and dynamical updating schemes play an important role in the spatiotemporal behaviour of the network. We observe that the chaos is controlled by threshold activated coupling, and the network yields synchronized temporally periodic states. The asynchronous updating, both random and sequential, yields more spatiotemporal order then parallel synchronous updating. In the case of non-uniform coupling, there is an optimal fraction of sites where it is necessary to apply the control algorithm in order to effectively suppress chaotic dynamics. We also introduce a scheme to obtain dynamical logic cell, using a threshold coupled chaotic model systems. A significant feature of this scheme is that a single nonlinear drive-response unit can be used to flexibly yield the different desired logical sequences in time by simply varying the time series of the logic controller.

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