Designing a Digital Data Storage System for Pleurotus ostreatus
School Name
Spring Valley High School
Grade Level
11th Grade
Presentation Topic
Computer Science
Presentation Type
Non-Mentored
Oral Presentation Award
1st Place
Abstract
Substrates of Pleurotus ostreatus exhibit the necessary characteristics to encapsulate boolean logic gates, following principles of cellular automata. Boolean operations mined from the colony are stochastic, but some one-gate operations are more common. No attempt has been made to relay sets of gate-presenting substrates to engineer more complex logic gates. As fungal computers not only offer an alternative to silicon-based computers as an environmentally sustainable option but are seeing purpose in fields varying from residential construction to clothing manufacturing, research set to further applicability of fungal components will expand this nascent technology. The application of mycelium composites as atmospheric sensors has been posited, but integration with a stable memory system would need to be developed separately. This research sees to instilling a digital data storage system in the shape of a logical D flip-flop into a fungal colony of P. ostreatus. The prototype shows a working set of logic gates integrated to fungal colonies. Also shown is the substrate’s capability to store digital information independent of a silicon-based computer. The findings stated here impress on the practical application of mycelium composites in place of conventional computers for data automation or other instances where complex logic gates are applicable.
Recommended Citation
O'Connor, Fionn, "Designing a Digital Data Storage System for Pleurotus ostreatus" (2024). South Carolina Junior Academy of Science. 471.
https://scholarexchange.furman.edu/scjas/2024/all/471
Location
RITA 367
Start Date
3-23-2024 9:45 AM
Presentation Format
Oral and Written
Group Project
No
Designing a Digital Data Storage System for Pleurotus ostreatus
RITA 367
Substrates of Pleurotus ostreatus exhibit the necessary characteristics to encapsulate boolean logic gates, following principles of cellular automata. Boolean operations mined from the colony are stochastic, but some one-gate operations are more common. No attempt has been made to relay sets of gate-presenting substrates to engineer more complex logic gates. As fungal computers not only offer an alternative to silicon-based computers as an environmentally sustainable option but are seeing purpose in fields varying from residential construction to clothing manufacturing, research set to further applicability of fungal components will expand this nascent technology. The application of mycelium composites as atmospheric sensors has been posited, but integration with a stable memory system would need to be developed separately. This research sees to instilling a digital data storage system in the shape of a logical D flip-flop into a fungal colony of P. ostreatus. The prototype shows a working set of logic gates integrated to fungal colonies. Also shown is the substrate’s capability to store digital information independent of a silicon-based computer. The findings stated here impress on the practical application of mycelium composites in place of conventional computers for data automation or other instances where complex logic gates are applicable.
