DPhil student, CCNR, University of Sussex

Nathaniel Virgo

DPhil student

Centre for Computational Neuroscience and Robotics (CCNR),
University of Sussex, UK

nathanielvirgo<at>gmail.com

Research Interests

My PhD project explores the effect of physical constraints, such as the second law of thermodynamics and a limited energy supply, on complex physical systems such as organisms and ecosystems.

In particular I'm interested in how lifelike properties can arise in non-living systems, and what this can tell us about biology.

This leads me to ask questions such as

  • How do individual entities arise in certain physical systems? What do these phenomena have in common with biological organisms?

  • How can lifelike structures and lifelike behaviour such as learning occur in purely physical systems? What does this purely physical organisation tell us about biological development?

  • What can energetic considerations tell us about the structure of ecosystems and the evolution of complexity?



Structurally complex entities in a reaction-diffusion system (modified Gray-Scott). Each consists of red and blue spots coexisting symbioticaly, mediated by nutrients (green)

Publications

2008
  • N. Virgo and I. Harvey Adaptive Growth Processes: A Model Ispired by Pask's Ear in press (ALIFE XI)
  • I will also be presenting a talk entitled Reaction-Diffusion Spots as a Model for Autopoiesis at the ALIFE XI conference.
2007
  • N. Virgo and I. Harvey Entropy Production in Ecosystems in F. Almeida e Costa et al. (eds.), Proc. of the 9th Euro. Conf. on Artificial Life. Springer Verlag.
  • T. Froese, N. Virgo and E. Izquierdo Autonomy: a Review and a Reappraisal in F. Almeida e Costa et al. (eds.), Proc. of the 9th Euro. Conf. on Artificial Life. Springer Verlag.
  • S. McGregor, N. Virgo and J. Dyke A Critical Reappraisal of the Dynamical Approach to Cognition in H. A. Abbass et al. (eds.), Proceedings of the First IEEE Symposium on Artificial Life. (IEEE-ALife'07). pp. 317-324. IEEE Press.
2006