A morphological adaptation approach to path planning inspired by slime mould

Abstract

Path planning is a classic problem in computer science and robotics which has recently been implemented in unconventional computing substrates such as chemical reaction–diffusion computers. These novel computing schemes utilise the parallel spatial propagation of information and often use a two-stage method involving diffusive propagation to discover all paths and a second stage to highlight or visualise the path between two particular points in the arena. The true slime mould Physarum polycephalum is known to construct efficient transport networks between nutrients in its environment. These networks are continuously remodelled as the organism adapts its body plan to changing spatial stimuli. It can be guided towards attractant stimuli (nutrients, warm regions) and it avoids locations containing hazardous stimuli (light irradiation, repellents, or regions occupied by predatory threats). Using a particle model of slime mould we demonstrate scoping experiments which explore how path planning may be performed by morphological adaptation. We initially demonstrate simple path planning by a shrinking blob of virtual plasmodium between two attractant sources within a polygonal arena. We examine the case where multiple paths are required and the subsequent selection of a single path from multiple options. Collision-free paths are implemented via repulsion from the borders of the arena. Finally, obstacle avoidance is implemented by repulsion from obstacles as they are uncovered by the shrinking blob. These examples show proof-of-concept results of path planning by morphological adaptation which complement existing research on path planning in novel computing substrates.

Keywords:

• path planning
• morphological computation
• slime mould
• collective computation
• collision avoidance
• robotics

Notes

Supplementary video recordings visualising the shrinkage and adaptation of the model plasmodium in path planning examples can be found at: http://uncomp.uwe.ac.uk/jeff/pathplanning.htm.

Additional information

Funding

This paper was supported by the EU research project ‘Physarum Chip: Growing Computers from Slime Mould’ [FP7 ICT Ref 316366].