Artificial Life and Communication Strategy in Bio-inspired Hardware Systems with FPGA-based Cell Networks

The paper is focused on the multi-cellular artificial organism's computer-aided modeling, numerical simulation and experimental research, with the purpose to design and experimentation of digital systems with abilities of biological organisms (evolution capabilities, self-organization, and fault-tolerance). In the first stage of the researches an original model for an FPGA-based artificial cell is proposed and developed. The functions and complex interaction phenomena between those cells in a bi-dimensional structure is carefully analyzed and simulated. A new architecture and operation mode for the artificial cell, and also a specially developed communication strategy inside of the bi-dimensional cell network is presented, too. The final purpose is to design and experimenting of a bio-inspired hardware system (embryonic machine) with programmable FPGA arrays, for study and experimentation of basic properties of living organisms.