Trajectory Planning of Mobile Robots Using DNA Computing

DNA computers are attracting increasing attention as next-generation replacements for conventional electronic computers. Computation is realized using the chemical reaction of DNA. This paper presents optimal trajectory planning for mobile robots using DNA computing. The working area of a mobile robot is divided into many sections and the shortest trajectory avoiding obstacles in the work area is calculated by DNA computing. The location of obstacles is known in advance. In DNA computing, Watson-Crick pairing is used to find this trajectory. DNA sequences representing locations of obstacles are removed in this process. The shortest DNA molecule that begins with the start section and terminates with the goal section represents the shortest trajectory avoiding obstacles in the robot’s work area. The proposed algorithm is especially effective with a DNA molecular computer.

Sodium Amylobarbitone and Responses to Nonreward*

Three experiments are reported testing two alternative hypotheses concerning the behavioural effects of sodium amylobarbitone (SA): (1) that it blocks the after-effect of nonreward; (2) that it blocks conditioned frustration, elicited by stimuli associated with nonreward. In support of (2) Experiment I showed that SA given in acquisition abolished the partial reinforcement extinction effect (PREE) when rats were run at one trial a day in an alley for food reward on a continuous (CRF) or partial (PRF) reinforcement schedule. Experiment II showed that, in the goal section, the effect of the drug on the PREE was due to its presence during acquisition and was not due to state dependency; but the effect of the drug in the start section was consistent with state dependency of the PREE. In Experiment III, in opposition to (1) and again in support of (2), SA given to rats trained to show patterned running for water reward on a single alternation schedule blocked patterning by increasing running speeds on nonreward trials, not by decreasing running speeds on rewarded trials.