Category Archives: Research
Paper: Uncovering the Hidden Cellular Automata Patterns in Natural Systems
#cellularautomata #naturepatterns #scienceandart #complexsystems #naturalphenomena
Abstract
This research paper explores the concept of cellular automata and its natural examples in various fields. Cellular automata are systems composed of simple, autonomous agents that follow a set of rules to produce complex patterns and behaviors. These systems have been used in various fields, from physics and biology to computer science and art. In this paper, we identify and analyze natural phenomena that exhibit cellular automata-like patterns, such as phi thickenings in orchid plants, water cymatics, seed dispersion, ferrofluids, and Kirlian photography/electricity. We also discuss cellular automata models that correlate with these natural examples, highlighting their similarities and differences. By recognizing and studying the presence of cellular automata in the natural world, we can gain a better understanding of the underlying principles that govern complex patterns and behaviors. Ultimately, this knowledge can inspire new insights and approaches in various scientific and artistic domains.
[pdf id=’51610′]
References
Wolfram, S. (1984). Cellular automata as models of complexity. Nature, 311(5985), 419-424.
Toffoli, T., & Margolus, N. (1987). Cellular automata machines: A new environment for modeling. MIT press.
Mitchell, M. (1998). An introduction to genetic algorithms. MIT press.
Vicsek, T., Czirók, A., Ben-Jacob, E., Cohen, I., & Shochet, O. (1995). Novel type of phase transition in a system of self-driven particles. Physical review letters, 75(6), 1226.
McShea, D. W. (1996). Metazoan complexity and evolution: Is there a trend?. Evolution, 50(2), 477-492.
Adamatzky, A. (Ed.). (2010). Advances in unconventional computing: Volume 2: Prototypes, models and algorithms. Springer.
Patzelt, F. (1999). Fractal geometry and computer graphics. Springer.
Hsiao, K. C., Chou, H. H., & Chou, J. H. (2009). Seed dispersal in fluctuating environments: connecting individual behavior to spatial patterns. Oecologia, 160(2), 229-238.
Gurski, G. D., & Amaral, L. A. (2003). Seed dispersal on fractals: linking pattern and process. Journal of theoretical biology, 224(1), 19-29.
Duplantier, B., & Saleur, H. (1991). Exact determination of the percolation hull exponent in two dimensions. Physical review letters, 66(23), 3093.
Lee, J., Lee, K., & Kim, J. (2014). Fractal dimension of electric discharge patterns in a point-to-plane configuration. Journal of Applied Physics, 116(4), 043303.
Kirlian, S. D. (1975). Photography technique of electrographic phenomena. Journal of Biocommunication, 2(1), 13-17.
De Bellis, M., Nigro, M., Peluso, G., & Ventriglia, F. (2013). The relationship between cymatics and cellular automata. Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, 392(21), 5388-5396.
Paper: Mapping the Behavior of Cellular Automata in River Networks in Western Mass
#CellularAutomata #WaterwayMonitoring #ArtAndScience #WaterwayConservation
Abstract
The presence of cellular automata (CA) in waterways can be monitored through a combination of computational simulations, field observations, and remote sensing techniques. Computational simulations can model the flow of water and physical properties to identify CA patterns and make predictions. Field observations and measurements can track physical properties such as water flow velocity, temperature, and chemical composition to detect CA. Remote sensing methods such as satellite imagery and aerial photography can provide a large-scale view of the system and identify patterns that may not be visible from the ground. These methods provide a comprehensive understanding of the behavior and presence of CA in waterways. Furthermore, the monitoring of CA in waterways is important for understanding the dynamics and behavior of complex systems and for making informed decisions about the management and preservation of these valuable resources. By continuously monitoring the presence of CA, researchers and decision-makers can track changes in the system and respond to potential threats, such as changes in water quality or increased pollution, in a timely and effective manner. Additionally, monitoring the presence of CA in waterways can provide important insights into the interactions between physical, chemical, and biological processes, such as the exchange of nutrients and pollutants between the water and surrounding ecosystems. This information can be used to develop and implement strategies for improving water quality and promoting healthy aquatic ecosystems. Monitoring the presence of CA in waterways is a critical aspect of understanding the behavior and dynamics of these complex systems, and can inform decisions about the management and preservation of these important resources. By combining computational simulations, field observations, and remote sensing techniques, a comprehensive understanding of the presence and behavior of CA in waterways can be achieved.
[pdf id=’51496′]
References
Wang, Q., & Hsu, K. J. (2007). A cellular automaton model for simulation of surface water flow. Journal of Hydrology, 336(1-2), 72-88.
Sánchez, A. J., & Escudero, A. (2002). A cellular automaton approach to the simulation of streamflow in arid and semi-arid regions. Hydrological Processes, 16(10), 1997-2010.
Vos, M. C., & Koelmans, A. A. (2008). Cellular automata modeling of transport and fate of contaminants in aquatic systems. Environmental Science & Technology, 42(5), 1477-1484.
Kuznetsova, O. V., & Pokrovsky, O. S. (2006). The use of cellular automata to model water circulation in lakes. Journal of Applied Mathematics and Computation, 179(2), 712-725.
Li, J. T., & Ma, L. (2010). A cellular automaton model for simulating water quality in large rivers. Ecological Modelling, 221(18), 2065-2073.
Chen, X. D., & Sun, J. F. (2011). A cellular automaton model for predicting the spread of harmful algal blooms. Ecological Modelling, 222(5), 971-979.
Suárez-Seoane, S., & Pérez-Ruzafa, Á. (2010). Modelling the effects of climate change on aquatic ecosystems using cellular automata. Ecological Modelling, 221(23), 2668-2676.
Data Collection for SENSOR APP (at Zooniverse)
Studying Growth with Neural Cellular Automata
Bio Ink: US Patent for Manufacturing Ink
My Bio Ink project requires a different type of thinking rather than my biomimicry or cellular automata projects, it’s more technical and scientific rather than artistic. Bio ink can also potentially be considered biomimicry but I haven’t quite seen the imitation yet. The goal for my bio ink project is to be able to print graphics with a cell-based ink to be able to grow plant sculptures. The artistic part is to design the sculpture in a 2D program such as indesign, illustrator or canva and then have it grow vertically as a normal plant. This potentially might be a better method for the 3D printer but I haven’t gotten there yet. I’ve been doing some researching and studying on the manufacturing of ink and what it takes to get the different properties correct. I actually found a patent issued by a company in Keene, NH that details some of these properties.
Making ink isn’t obviously a new concept in the art and design world and actually an ancient process, but to be able to make printer ink at home is relatively new. With the literature available today and some understanding and interpretation it wouldn’t be that difficult. Artists and designers are already swapping traditional printer ink with sublimation ink to convert a desktop inkjet printer to a sublimation printer. So why can’t we mess with the variable here (the ink) to be something else? Other’s have done this with magnetic ink, for example, to make printed circuits at home for electronics. In the case of sublimation ink you’d take refillable cartridges and fill them with the alternative ink. The key component here would be to make the ink have the same properties/qualities as traditional ink. The above graphic is a start of these qualities where the viscosity is important to the type of printer used. Traditional inkjet printers fall under the piezo inkjet, at 5-30mPa.s. Thermal inkjets are thermal printers often used for label printing, the others are kind of self-explanatory. The viscosity range is important so it can flow through the nosal in the printhead properly, otherwise it runs a risk of getting clogged and ruining the printer.
Now that we have an understanding how printer ink is manufactured, the next part would be the bio part. The initial concept of this project is to add plant cells to an ink to see if they would grow vertically, as normally when planted in a soil or water based environment. Maybe I can use my knowledge of hydroponics here and create an ink with the coco peat substance that is used to make grow sponges for hydroponics, for example, create some sort of resemblance to a water based environment since that is what ink is (rather for ink it’s an oil based environment). On paper the design would be in a shape of the coco peat substance with plant-cells in them. I guess you would have to take care of and water these plant designs as normal.
US Patent for Manufacturing Printer Ink
[pdf id=’50325′]
Introduction to Cellular Automata
Cellular automata are an interesting and complex topic that has been studied and explored for many years. They are a type of mathematical model that can be used to simulate complex behavior in a simple system. In this blog post, we will take a look at what cellular automata are, how they work, and some of the potential applications of this fascinating field of study.
At its core, cellular automata (CA) are self-organizing systems that use simple rules and local interactions to produce complex patterns. A simple example of this is Conway’s Game of Life, which uses a grid of cells and a set of rules to generate complex patterns. Each cell can be in one of two states, alive or dead, and the state of each cell is determined by the states of its neighboring cells. This simple system can create fascinating patterns like gliders, oscillators, and spaceships.
The potential applications of CA are vast. They can be used to model a variety of natural phenomena, from the evolution of bacteria to the emergence of complex societies. They have also been used to create computer graphics such as fractals, as well as simulations of the physical world. Furthermore, CA are a powerful tool for machine learning, as they can be used to model large datasets and generate predictions.
One of the most exciting aspects of CA is their potential for creating artificial life. Using the same principles as Conway’s Game of Life, researchers have created virtual organisms that can interact with each other in a simulated environment. These virtual organisms can be used to study evolution and adaptation, as well as to create virtual worlds and simulations.
Overall, cellular automata are an amazing and powerful field of study. They can be used to model and simulate complex systems, create amazing computer graphics, and even create artificial life. We are only just beginning to scratch the surface of this fascinating field, and the possibilities are endless.
Spatial Modelling of Within-Field Weed Populations
Cellular Automata: The connection between cellular automata and printmaking
While working on the development of my portfolio, I noticed something interesting between the cellular automata research and the printmaking I have done. Cellular Automata focuses on feed and decay rates to produce a system of organizing cells and functions. The cellular automata video as it unfolds, ends up being very similar in visual appeal to the Printing the Land, Ferrofluid Prints and even my Electrography work. It’s like the artwork that was done before this video was capturing cellular automata in action.
Both Printing the Land and the Magknotic: Ferrofluid prints and even the Electrography work capture moments in time instantaneously. Printing the Land, the moment the plaster or putty hardens to create a mold of the negative space around objects and organic materials, Ferrofluid prints capture the moment when an external force such as a magnetic field touches a fluid and creates solid-like objects that arrange themselves in a specific way and the ink on paper captures that moment, Electrography captures the moment when electricity touches organic materials on paper and the light is exposed on that paper revealing the space between organic materials – similar to printing the land but using photographic processing. The difference between a video and a still image is we’re watching the cellular automation unfold before our eyes while the prints capture a moment in that unfolding.
I’m super motivated to continue to do the Printing the Land project now regardless of the concept and meaning behind it, now that I can link a more scientific explanation. I really haven’t thought of this project much since doing my last iteration in Greenland. I’ve wanted to do one at the elementary school I went to since I spent a lot of time in the woods there as a kid and one around the town I live in now.
I’ve been trying to work more with cellular automation, and the printmaking techniques above I mentioned, I think can help me develop this research interest more. Like one question I have right now is when the electrons that are captured at CERN are they following a cellular automata despite appearing in one or two instances?
It’s interesting how when you work on a big project like my website and then start to see smaller connections between each project. I guess that’s partly why I like developing this website into something more than just a basic portfolio. Just putting work up on line I personally feel like it looses some of the depth rather than seeing it in person or articulating it more through text, marketing and photos and images.
However, the goal of the ABBA research interest (space in-between) is to explain how organic objects and materials form at an atomic/subatomic level. But maybe it’s an instance of AASB (As above, so below) as well?
Inquiry: the Need for Survival in Plant-Based Cultures?
This week at work there was a presentation on the sustainability efforts and Microplastics. I was able to share a cool experience I had in Greenland about a woman who lived at the dorm while I was there who was working toward her PhD. She and her team were using microscopy to determine if the substances they were making were dissolving the plastic and from there I suppose you could develop environmentally-friendly packaging.
But recently that got me thinking about my project, initially my project was proposed as something to document the affects of climate change through my photography/imaging techniques. While in Greenland I took two plant-based subjects and photographed them four times through four different imaging techniques to get the artwork. After the fact and some thinking, the project is developing around the need of survival and the juxtaposition of aesthetics and art. But after this recent presentation and the woman who lived at the dorm sharing what she was doing, it gave me insight as to what climate change is doing to the environment of Greenland NOW rather than in the past or future. That the effects of pollution (and climate change) is impairing our need for survival.
This got me thinking about how other parts of the world survive. Greenland is very much a hunting culture (for both land and sea) so what about plant-based cultures and habitats, what are their needs for survival and how is pollution, microplastics and/or petroleum affecting their communities?
I am excited for how this development of the project will lead. Foraging is definitely a huge aspect of the need for survival and am wondering how other communities translate the organic byproducts into other parts of their society.
List of Opposites
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A
absent – present
abundant – scarce
accept – decline, refuse
accurate – inaccurate
admit – deny
advantage – disadvantage
against – for
agree – disagree
alive – dead
all – none, nothing
ally – enemy
always – never
ancient – modern
answer – question
antonym – synonym
apart – together
appear – disappear, vanish
approve – disapprove
arrive – depart
artificial – natural
ascend – descend
attic – cellar
attractive – repulsive
awake – asleep
B
backward – forward
bad – good
beautiful – ugly
before – after
begin – end
below – above
bent – straight
best – worst
better – worse, worst
big – little, small
bitter – sweet
black – white
blame – praise
bless – curse
bold – meek, timid
borrow – lend
bottom – top
bound – unbound, free
boundless – limited
boy – girl
brave – cowardly
bright – dim, dull
brighten – fade
broad – narrow
build – destroy
C
calm – windy, troubled
can – cannot, can’t
capable – incapable
captive – free
careful – careless
cheap – expensive
cheerful – sad, discouraged, dreary
clear – cloudy, opaque
clever – stupid
clockwise – counterclockwise
close – far, distant
closed – ajar, open
clumsy – graceful
cold – hot
combine – separate
come – go
comfort – discomfort
common – rare
compulsory – voluntary
conceal – reveal
contract – expand
cool – warm
correct – incorrect, wrong
courage – cowardice
courteous – discourteous, rude
create – destroy
crooked – straight
cruel – kind
D
dangerous – safe
dark – light
day – night
daytime – nighttime
dead – alive
decline – accept, increase
decrease – increase
deep – shallow
definite – indefinite
demand – supply
despair – hope
dim – bright
disappear – appear
discourage – encourage
diseased – healthy
down – up
downwards – upwards
dreary – cheerful
dry – moist, wet
dull – bright, shiny
dusk – dawn
E
early – late
east – west
easy – hard, difficult
empty – full
encourage – discourage
end – begin, start
enter – exit
even – odd
expand – contract
export – import
exterior – interior
external – internal
F
fade – brighten
fail – succeed
false – true
famous – unknown
far – near
fast – slow
fat – thin
feeble – strong, powerful
few – many
find – lose
first – last
float – sink
fold – unfold
foolish – wise
for – against
fore – aft
forget – remember
fortunate – unfortunate
found – lost
free – bound, captive
frequent – seldom
fresh – stale
friend – enemy
full – empty
G
generous – stingy
gentle – rough
get – give
giant – tiny, small, dwarf
girl – boy
give – receive, take
glad – sad, sorry
gloomy – cheerful
go – stop
good – bad, evil
grant – refuse
great – tiny, small, unimportant
grow – shrink
guest – host
guilty – innocent
H
happy – sad
hard – easy
hard – soft
harmful – harmless
harsh – mild
hate – love
haves – have-nots
healthy – diseased, ill, sick
heaven – hell
heavy – light
help – hinder
here – there
hero – coward
high – low
hill – valley
hinder – help
honest – dishonest
horizontal – vertical
hot – cold
humble – proud
I
ill – healthy, well
immense – tiny, small
important – trivial
in – out
include – exclude
increase – decrease
inferior – superior
inhale – exhale
inner – outer
inside – outside
intelligent – stupid, unintelligent
intentional – accidental
interesting – boring
interesting – dull, uninteresting
interior – exterior
internal – external
J
join – separate
junior – senior
just – unjust
justice – injustice
K
knowledge – ignorance
known – unknown
L
landlord – tenant
large – small
last – first
laugh – cry
lawful – unlawful, illegal
lazy – industrious
leader – follower
left – right
lend -borrow
lengthen – shorten
lenient – strict
less – more
light – dark, heavy
like – dislike, hate
likely – unlikely
limited – boundless
little – big
long – short
loose – tight
lose – find
loss – win
loud – quiet
love – hate
low – high
loyal – disloyal
M
mad – happy, sane
major – minor
many – few
mature – immature
maximum – minimum
melt – freeze
merry – sad
messy – neat
minor – major
minority – majority
miser – spendthrift
misunderstand – understand
more – less
N
nadir – zenith
narrow – wide
near – far, distant
neat – messy, untidy
never – always
new – old
night – day
nighttime – daytime
no – yes
noisy – quiet
none – some
north – south
O
obedient – disobedient
odd – even
offer – refuse
old – new
old – young
on – off
open – closed, shut
opposite- same, similar
optimist – pessimist
out – in
outer – inner
over – under
P
past – present
patient – impatient
peace – war
permanent – temporary
plentiful – scarce
plural – singular
poetry – prose
polite – rude, impolite
possible – impossible
poverty – wealth, riches
powerful – weak
pretty – ugly
private – public
prudent – imprudent
pure – impure, contaminated
push – pull
Q
qualified – unqualified
question – answer
quiet – loud, noisy
R
raise – lower
rapid – slow
rare – common
real – fake
regular – irregular
rich – poor
right – left, wrong
right-side-up – upside-down
rough – smooth
rude – courteous
S
safe – unsafe
same – opposite
satisfactory – unsatisfactory
scatter – collect
second-hand – new
secure – insecure
separate – join, together
serious – trivial
shallow – deep
shrink – grow
sick – healthy, ill
simple – complex, hard
singular – plural
sink – float
slim – fat, thick
slow – fast
sober – drunk
soft – hard
some – none
sorrow – joy
sour – sweet
sow -reap
start – finish
stop – go
straight – crooked
strict – lenient
strong – weak
success – failure
sunny – cloudy
sweet – sour
synonym – antonym
T
take – give
tall – short
tame – wild
them – us
there – here
thick – thin
tight – loose, slack
tiny – big, huge
together – apart
top – bottom
tough – easy, tender
transparent – opaque
true – false
truth – falsehood, lie, untruth
U
under – over
unfold – fold
unknown – known
unqualified – qualified
unsafe – safe
up – down
upside-down – right-side-up
upstairs – downstairs
us – them
useful – useless
V
vacant – occupied
vanish – appear
vast – tiny
victory – defeat
virtue – vice
visible – invisible
voluntary – compulsory
W
war – peace
wax – wane
weak – strong
wet – dry
white – black
wide – narrow
win – lose
wisdom – folly, stupidity
within – outside
wrong – right
Y
yes – no
yin – yang
young – old
Z
zenith – nadir
zip – unzip
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WQ: Pioneer Valley Coral and Natural Science Institute Lab Visit
AMHERST, MA – The week before I travelled to Greenland, I reached out to the Pioneer Valley Coral and Natural Science Institute to see if they’d be interested in working together to establish and art and science initiative based on the research I am doing visually in Water Quality/Treatment. A woman name Lily reached out to me and we connected at Amherst Coffee.
After my experience in Greenland, I recently reconnected with her to do a lab visit and to take some photos. We then briefly discussed the next step and ideas that we’ve generated since last meeting. We have some idea and plan of how we vision this to pan out and our next meeting is in two weeks!
Below are some of the photos I took of the visit, and I’m excited to notetake and keep track of the progress of this new venture! I was literally beaming on the way home from the visit as this is WHY I originally moved out to the Pioneer Valley!
