https://www.wired.com/2012/04/soldier-crabs/ Skip to main content Open Navigation Menu To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Close Alert WIRED Computer Built Using Swarms Of Soldier Crabs * Backchannel * Business * Culture * Gear * Ideas * Science * Security * Prime Day More To revist this article, visit My Profile, then View saved stories. Close Alert Sign In Search * Backchannel * Business * Culture * Gear * Ideas * Science * Security * Prime Day * Podcasts * Video * Artificial Intelligence * Climate * Games * Newsletters * Magazine * Events * Wired Insider * Jobs * Coupons WIRED Staff Business Apr 14, 2012 3:20 PM Computer Built Using Swarms Of Soldier Crabs Computer scientists at Kobe University in Japan have built a computer that draws inspiration from the swarming behavior of soldier crabs. The computer is based on theories from the early 1980s that studies how it could be possible to build a computer out of billiard balls. Proposed by Edward Fredkin and Tommaso Toffoli, the mechanical [...] Image may contain Electronics Computer Pc Monitor Screen Display Keyboard Computer Hardware and Hardware Save Save Computer scientists at Kobe University in Japan have built a computer that draws inspiration from the swarming behavior of soldier crabs. The computer is based on theories from the early 1980s that studies how it could be possible to build a computer out of billiard balls. Proposed by Edward Fredkin and Tommaso Toffoli, the mechanical computer was based on Newtonian dynamics and relied on the motion of billiard balls in an idealized, friction-free environment instead of electronic signals like a conventional computer. The model was developed to investigate the relation between computation and reversible processes in physics. A channel in this computational system would carry information encoded in the form of the presence or absence of billiard balls. The information is processed through a series of gates which the balls either bump into and emerge in a predictable direction based on the ballistics of the collision or which they don't bump into and emerge with the same velocity. [partner id="wireduk"] Picking up where Fredkin and Toffoli left off, Yukio-Pegio Gunji and colleagues at Kobe University have essentially built a billiard ball computer using soldier crabs. In their report (.pdf), they demonstrate that "swarms of soldier crabs can crabs can implement logical gates when placed in a geometrically constrained environment." Soldier crabs or Mictyris guinotae live in flat lagoons and form huge colonies of hundreds of thousands of individuals. When they emerge during low tides and form enormous swarms, the crabs exhibit two different behaviors. Individuals on the edge of the swarm show aggressive leadership, keeping a solid edge to the group as they move forwards (or, more likely, sideways) in unison. Those in the middle of the swarm just follow their neighbors and so move in a more dynamic way. The crabs on the edge of the swam tend to continually fold back into the body of the swarm, only to be replaced by another. When a swarm of crabs is placed into a corridor with walls on each side, the crabs will closely follow the wall like a rolling billiard ball. This sort of behavior can be easily controlled, for example, by casting a shadow from above on the swarm to mimic the presence of crab-eating birds. The soldier crabs will move away from any shadowed areas for fear of being munched on. When two swarms of crabs -- or "crab balls" -- collide, they appear to merge and continue in a direction that is the sum of their respective velocities. Image may contain Text Label Lighting and Pattern Some of Brutal Legend's missions have you drive alongside your band's tour van, protecting it from marauding motorcycle demons. Image courtesy Electronic Arts. Based on these observations of crab behavior, the team built a pattern of channels that act like logic gates. They first simulated the soldier crab swarming behavior in special patterns of channels. They then created a real system of channels in their lab and unleashed groups of 40 real crabs, which were guided using the fake bird shadow. They found that they could build a decent OR-gate using the crabs -- this was the place where one or two crab swarms are merged into a single one. However, the more complicated AND-gate required the combined swarm heading down one of three paths. This was found to be less reliable. However, the team believe that they could improve the results by creating a more crab-friendly environment. The findings open up the possibility of creating an unconventional computing model where the zeros and 1s are represented by the absence or presence of a swarm of crabs. You can read the fascinating study in full here. -- Olivia Solon Most Popular * The Last 96 Hours of the Titan Tragedy Science The Last 96 Hours of the Titan Tragedy Alex Christian * Reddit Won't Be the Same. Neither Will the Internet Culture Reddit Won't Be the Same. Neither Will the Internet Angela Watercutter * Take Your Tunes Anywhere With Our Fave Bluetooth Speakers Gear Take Your Tunes Anywhere With Our Fave Bluetooth Speakers Parker Hall * WIRED's Favorite 'Buy It for Life' Gear Gear WIRED's Favorite 'Buy It for Life' Gear Parker Hall * Topicscomputer scienceEnterprisemicrochips More from WIRED Apple Is Taking On Apples in a Truly Weird Trademark Battle Apple Is Taking On Apples in a Truly Weird Trademark Battle Apple, the company, wants rights to the image of apples, the fruit, in Switzerland--one of dozens of countries where it's flexing its legal muscles. Gabriela Galindo China's ChatGPT Opportunists—and Grifters—Are Hard at Work China's ChatGPT Opportunists--and Grifters--Are Hard at Work Chinese entrepreneurs are using AI to start content businesses and write self-help books. But the real money's in selling the dream. Tracy Wen Liu Apple Ghosts the Generative AI Revolution Apple Ghosts the Generative AI Revolution Apple unveiled the Vision Pro headset and a number of AI-powered features yesterday, but largely ignored generative AI applications embraced by Google and Microsoft. Khari Johnson Jack Ma Isn't Back Jack Ma Isn't Back The iconic Alibaba founder disappeared from view after criticizing China's government. He returned to the country in March--as a teacher, not a businessman. Lavender Au Google DeepMind's CEO Says Its Next Algorithm Will Eclipse ChatGPT Google DeepMind's CEO Says Its Next Algorithm Will Eclipse ChatGPT Demis Hassabis says the company is working on a system called Gemini that will draw on techniques that powered AlphaGo to a historic victory over a Go champion in 2016. Will Knight A Crypto Micronation's Future Hangs on a Border Dispute A Crypto Micronation's Future Hangs on a Border Dispute An ultra-libertarian Balkan "country" called Liberland celebrated its eighth anniversary with a boat party and a barbecue, but no one lives there. Joel Khalili India's Tech Obsession May Leave Millions of Workers Without Pay India's Tech Obsession May Leave Millions of Workers Without Pay The Modi government is forcing low-paid workers to use a glitchy new digital registration system that fails in places with weak internet. Parth M.N. Amazon's New Robots Are Rolling Out an Automation Revolution Amazon's New Robots Are Rolling Out an Automation Revolution A wave of advanced machines is coming to the company's facilities thanks to better AI and robots smart enough to work with--and without--humans. Will Knight WIRED WIRED is where tomorrow is realized. It is the essential source of information and ideas that make sense of a world in constant transformation. The WIRED conversation illuminates how technology is changing every aspect of our lives--from culture to business, science to design. The breakthroughs and innovations that we uncover lead to new ways of thinking, new connections, and new industries. * * * * * * More From WIRED * Subscribe * Newsletters * FAQ * Wired Staff * Press Center * Coupons * Editorial Standards * Prime Day * Archive Contact * Advertise * Contact Us * Customer Care * Jobs * RSS * Accessibility Help * Conde Nast Store * Do Not Sell My Personal Info (c) 2023 Conde Nast. All rights reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. WIRED may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Conde Nast. Ad Choices Select international siteUnited States * UK * Italia * Japon