Jack C. Chaplin

Implementing conventional logic unconventionally: photochromic molecular populations as registers and logic gates.

In this paper we detail experimental methods to implement registers, logic gates and logic circuits using populations of photochromic molecules exposed to sequences of light pulses. Photochromic molecules are molecules with two or more stable states that can be switched reversibly between states by illuminating with appropriate wavelengths of radiation. Registers are implemented by using the concentration of molecules in each state in a given sample to represent an integer value. The registers value can then be read using the intensity of a fluorescence signal from the sample. Logic gates have been implemented using a register with inputs in the form of light pulses to implement 1-input/1-output and 2-input/1-output logic gates. A proof of concept logic circuit is also demonstrated; coupled with the software workflow describe the transition from a circuit design to the corresponding sequence of light pulses.

Advanced Manufacturing: An Industrial Application for Collective Adaptive Systems

Driven by market trends towards highly-personalised products, the manufacturing industry is facing a variety of challenges that require systems to be adaptive, robust, resilient, and responsive. Collective adaptive systems have the potential to provide solutions to a wide variety of these problems. This paper has two main aims: to highlight shared problems between industry and the collective adaptive systems research area, where solutions would enable a transformative impact on the manufacturing domain, and to generate discussion around the application of collective adaptive systems approaches to facilitate further adoption of such techniques in industry. This paper therefore focusses on a real-world industrial manufacturing scenario that is to be used as a demonstration to investigate the application of collective adaptive systems to the manufacturing domain. A number of key issues are discussed, along with a number of potential approaches, with the hope of generating further discussion.

Interfacing Belief-Desire-Intention Agent Systems with Geometric Reasoning for Robotics and Manufacturing

Unifying the symbolic and geometric representations and algorithms used in AI and robotics is an important challenge for both fields. We take a small step in this direction by presenting an interface between geometric reasoning and a popular class of agent systems, in a way that uses some of the agent’s available constructs and semantics. We then describe how certain kinds of information can be extracted from the geometric model of the world and used in agent reasoning. We motivate our concepts and algorithms within the context of a real-world production system.

Photochromic molecular implementations of universal computation.

Unconventional computing is an area of research in which novel materials and paradigms are utilised to implement computation. Previously we have demonstrated how registers, logic gates and logic circuits can be implemented, unconventionally, with a biocompatible molecular switch, NitroBIPS, embedded in a polymer matrix. NitroBIPS and related molecules have been shown elsewhere to be capable of modifying many biological processes in a manner that is dependent on its molecular form. Thus, one possible application of this type of unconventional computing is to embed computational processes into biological systems. Here we expand on our earlier proof-of-principle work and demonstrate that universal computation can be implemented using NitroBIPS. We have previously shown that spatially localised computational elements, including registers and logic gates, can be produced. We explain how parallel registers can be implemented, then demonstrate an application of parallel registers in the form of Turing machine tapes, and demonstrate both parallel registers and logic circuits in the form of elementary cellular automata. The Turing machines and elementary cellular automata utilise the same samples and same hardware to implement their registers, logic gates and logic circuits; and both represent examples of universal computing paradigms. This shows that homogenous photochromic computational devices can be dynamically repurposed without invasive reconfiguration. The result represents an important, necessary step towards demonstrating the general feasibility of interfacial computation embedded in biological systems or other unconventional materials and environments.

The effect of encapsulation on molecular computing efficiency

Research into molecular computation offers exciting possibilities for interfacing computation with biological systems. This could be achieved using light to switch photochromic molecules between states. For example, 6-Nitro-BIPS2 can be switched from a Spiropyran (SP) state to a Trans-Merocyanine (MC) state using UV photons while visible light switches from MC to SP. The MC state is also fluorescent. Modified spiropyrans targeted to proteins can improve imaging contrast3, alter enzyme activity4, alter protein interactions5 and switch vesicle permeability6.