A team of scientists from Ohio State University in the United States I managed to produce memristors mushroom. all memristor It is an element electronic Who retains the memory of resistance. Researchers have now made it based on… Mushrooms or Chinese mushrooms, also called Shiitake. It is progress that can transform Sustainable computing.
These devices are able to store information and simulate brain connections. They provide performance similar to silicon chips, but with the advantage of being biodegradable, low-cost and scalable.
details innovation It was published in the magazine One plus It opened the door to a new generation of environmental and accessible computers.
Development was carried out by John LaRocco, Qudsia Tahminah, Robin Petrica, John Simonis and Justin Hillsupported by the Research Institute sling.
Scientists took into account a central difficulty: conventional memories, which are essential to memory neural computing, It is a technology that mimics the work of the brain, and requires rare metals and expensive manufacturing processes.
These devices, which can efficiently store and process information, are essential for applications artificial intelligenceRobots and autonomous vehicles.
However, its production generates a significant environmental impact and limits accessibility. Faced with this challenge, researchers searched for sustainable alternatives that would reduce the cost and environmental footprint of these ingredients.
he Shiitake mycelium It is presented as a promising option due to its adaptability to different conditions, its resistance to radiation and its structure similar to neural networks.
Therefore, the researchers sought to explore whether shiitake mycelium could be used as a basis for making functional memories, capable of mimicking synapses and storing information.
To carry out the experiment, the team cultivated nine samples of Shiitake mushroom In Petri dishes with organic substrates, under controlled conditions of temperature and humidity.
Once the fungi covered the entire surface, the specimens were dried in the sun for a week to ensure their long-term survival.
They were then wetted with a deionized aerosol, which restored their conductivity without changing their structure.
Each sample was connected to a specially designed circuit to evaluate its electrical behavior.
The researchers applied different voltages and frequencies, and measured the response using a digital oscilloscope.
“We attached cables and probes at different points of the mushroom because each part has different electrical properties,” he explained. John LaRocco. “Depending on effort and connection, we observed different performance,” he added.
The results were impressive: the mycelium memories achieved 100% switching speed 5,850 Hzprecisely 90%. This means it can change state about 5,850 times per second, which is close to the slowest commercial memristors.
Furthermore, performance remained stable after dehydration and rehydration processes, indicating that these devices can retain their functionality for long periods.
The team also observed that as the voltage increased, the mushroom’s performance decreased, but this effect was offset by adding more samples to the circuit.
“All you need to start exploring innate computing could be as small as a compost pile and some homemade electronics, or as large as a growing factory with pre-made templates,” LaRocco said.
“Our findings show that innate computers can provide green and scalable platforms for neural tasks, bridging the gap between bioelectronics and unconventional computing,” the researchers noted.
The team highlights that although the switching speed is lower than that of more advanced memories, the possibility of parallel operation of multiple devices compensates for this limitation.
Moreover, the radiation resistance and adaptability of mycelium opens new possibilities for developing intelligent systems and sensors in hostile environments.
future Sustainable computing This could be in the form of a mushroom, with devices that combine sustainability, low cost and adaptability, and which promise to transform existing technology.
About The Author
