Tutorials
| Tutorial 1: When Communication Meets Computation at the Nanoscale | |
| Time: TBA | |
| Speakers: Sasitharan Balasubramaniam, Josep M. Jornet, Hadeel Elayan, and Samitha Somathilaka |
Abstract:
This tutorial presents a unified perspective on how communication mechanisms can directly perform computation in biological systems. We show how electromagnetic signaling (e.g., terahertz and optical modalities) interacts with matter to not only transfer information, but also modify system states and influence collective behavior.
The tutorial further examines how biological systems, such as gene regulatory networks and cellular signaling pathways, achieve distributed learning and decision-making without centralized control. These insights are connected to engineering design principles, highlighting how communication and computation can be jointly engineered to enable robust decision-making, long-term adaptation, and autonomous operation in complex and resource-constrained environments.
This tutorial presents a unified perspective on how communication mechanisms can directly perform computation in biological systems. We show how electromagnetic signaling (e.g., terahertz and optical modalities) interacts with matter to not only transfer information, but also modify system states and influence collective behavior.
The tutorial further examines how biological systems, such as gene regulatory networks and cellular signaling pathways, achieve distributed learning and decision-making without centralized control. These insights are connected to engineering design principles, highlighting how communication and computation can be jointly engineered to enable robust decision-making, long-term adaptation, and autonomous operation in complex and resource-constrained environments.
| Tutorial 2: Artificial Intelligence in Microfluidic Circuits: From Theory to Hands-On Design | |
| Time: TBA | |
| Speakers: Jorge Torres Gomez, Murat Kuscu, Zeliha Cansu Canbek Özdil and Volkan Can |
Abstract:
The aim of this tutorial is to provide a comprehensive and interactive introduction to the synthesis of a Neural Network (NN) architectures in microfluidic circuits bridging theoretical foundations with physical implementation and simulation. The tutorial provides and overview of the fundamentals of molecular communications (MC) in microfluidic pipes, and introduces a methodology for the synthesis of NN architectures in the molecular domain. This methodology relies on interpreting the transport of molecules within the fluid through the operations of addition and multiplication. This tutorial also provides a hands-on session on the modelling of microfluidics and their fabrication. Participants will explore physics-based modelling of molecular communication systems using COMSOL Multiphysics and learn how microfluidic architectures can function as computational systems. The fabrication session involves on-site, low-cost prototyping of microfluidic pipes using paper-based microfluidic platforms. Participants will engage in a guided activity to design and fabricate microfluidic channels on paper, providing a tangible understanding of how the mathematical operations of neurons are mapped into a physical medium.
The aim of this tutorial is to provide a comprehensive and interactive introduction to the synthesis of a Neural Network (NN) architectures in microfluidic circuits bridging theoretical foundations with physical implementation and simulation. The tutorial provides and overview of the fundamentals of molecular communications (MC) in microfluidic pipes, and introduces a methodology for the synthesis of NN architectures in the molecular domain. This methodology relies on interpreting the transport of molecules within the fluid through the operations of addition and multiplication. This tutorial also provides a hands-on session on the modelling of microfluidics and their fabrication. Participants will explore physics-based modelling of molecular communication systems using COMSOL Multiphysics and learn how microfluidic architectures can function as computational systems. The fabrication session involves on-site, low-cost prototyping of microfluidic pipes using paper-based microfluidic platforms. Participants will engage in a guided activity to design and fabricate microfluidic channels on paper, providing a tangible understanding of how the mathematical operations of neurons are mapped into a physical medium.
