Manipulating objects with chemical waves: Open loop case of experimental Belousov-Zhabotinsky medium coupled with simulated actuator array

We simulate a massively-parallel actuator array coupled with an experimental excitable chemical medium (Belousov-Zhabotinsky system). The actuator has a fine-grained modular structure, and each actuating unit is controlled by the excitation dynamics occurring in a unique domain of the thin-layer chemical system. We study the types of manipulation-of pixel-sized objects and basic planar shapes-that may be achieved using typical wave excitation dynamics in the Belousov-Zhabotinsky medium, including target waves, spiral waves and wave-fragments. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.