Chemical reaction-diffusion implementation of finding the shortest paths in a labyrinth.
An experimental technique for finding the shortest paths in a labyrinth is elaborated on based on chemical reaction-diffusion media. The system designed has hybrid architecture that combines an information-processing reaction-diffusion medium performing operations of high computational complexity with a digital computer carrying out supplementary operations. Two principal points are assumed as a basis for this design. They are the following: a light-sensitive Belousov-Zhabotinsky-type reagent chosen as a reaction-diffusion medium that offers the opportunity to simulate a labyrinth and spread wave evolution by its images stored in the medium; fast light-induced phase wave processes that spread through the labyrinth in seconds instead of the dozens of minutes typical of trigger waves inherent in reaction-diffusion media. Images of consecutive wave-spreading steps are stored in the memory of a digital computer. These images are used to determine the shortest paths based on the additional procedure of testing for the connectedness of labyrinth fragments.
Rambidi
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Physics Department, Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia. rambidi@polly.phys.msu.su
Yakovenchuk
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