Wearable electronic sensors, such as those on Fitbit watches and pedometers that detect biological signals, may be replaced in the future by … mushrooms.
No, this is not a typo. In a proof-of-concept study, the mycelium was able to perceive various external stimuli such as light, temperature and humidity, but also certain chemicals in the environment and even electrical signals.
The oyster mushroom’s mycelium, the fibrous tissues of the fungi mainframe that colonize under the soil and from where the mushrooms sprout, were able to perceive electrical signals in order to replicate that part for sensors and processors, which are read by a computer.
In other words (fantastic), the mushroom’s perceptions of the environment would become the data that provides the count of beats per minute on your heart rate monitor.
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In nature, the mycelium is organized into geometric structures inside and along the ground. Although the fungal mycelium does not have many reasons to detect electrical signals in nature that we know, the reprogramming of oyster mushroom mycelium genes to form different geometric structures that would optimize the power of detecting electrical signals is the passage that makes Prof. Andrew Adamtzky I think it is worth investigating.
“We showed that it is possible to discern the nature of the stimuli of the electrical responses of fungi,” wrote Adamatzky, who used viscous fungi to solve mazes and optimize road planning in Tokyo and France, in his new research article.
“The results paved the way for the future design of intelligent detection patches to be used in reactive fungal wearables.”
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The stains mentioned were hemp fabrics colonized with mycelium and then attached to computer sensors.
Spraying different chemicals on the adhesive, as well as exposing it to the different stimuli mentioned above, was what gave Adamatzky the safety of his voice.
It is nothing that will take control of the markets soon, but it is another fascinating application of mycelium, which GNN said can be used to make building bricks, coffins, canoes and with great effect in cleaning nuclear waste.
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