Spatiotemporal Integration and Memory of Mechanical Signals in Sensitive Plants
Abstract
Plants provide a unique and experimentally amenable arena for studying the dynamics of information flow, communication, and self-organization in a complex system. As sessile organisms, plants exhibit growth-driven morphology changes as a response to a variety of stimuli, including light, electricity, and mechanical forces. Plants sense their noisy environment and respond with foraging, reproductive, and defense behaviors which can potentially transmit information. These behaviors are often plastic, i.e., adaptable to changing environments. We propose to work with these natural systems that have had the privilege of eons of evolution to perfect their signaling, in particular mechanical signaling, as in the case of Mimosa pudica. We aim to translate the behavioral principles of such plants to inform the design of bio-inspired systems in the fields of swarm robotics and algorithmic matter.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Jan 04, 2021
- Source ID
- W911NF2110049
Entities
People
- Orit Peleg
Organizations
- Army Contracting Command
- United States Army
- University of Colorado Boulder