Membrane computing is an unconventional model of computation associated with a new computing paradigm. The field of membrane computing was initiated in 1998 by the author of this book; it is a branch of natural computing inspired by the structure and functioning of the living cell and devises distributed parallel computing models in the form of membrane systems. This book is the first monograph surveying the new field in a systematic and coherent way. It presents the central notions and results: the main classes of P systems, the main results about their computational power and efficiency, a complete bibliography, and a series of open problems and research topics.

This book thoroughly investigates the underlying theoretical basis of membrane computing models, and reveals their latest applications. In addition, to date there have been no illustrative case studies or complex real-life applications that capitalize on the full potential of the sophisticated membrane systems computational apparatus; gaps that this book remedies. By studying various complex applications – including engineering optimization, power systems fault diagnosis, mobile robot controller design, and complex biological systems involving data modeling and process interactions – the book also extends the capabilities of membrane systems models with features such as formal verification techniques, evolutionary approaches, and fuzzy reasoning methods. As such, the book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date guide for all researchers, PhDs and undergraduate students in the fields of computer science, engineering and the bio-sciences who are interested in the applications of natural computing models.

Membrane Computing studies models of computation (called P systems) inspired by the structure and functioning of a living cell, in particular by the role of membranes in compartmentalization of living cells. This handbook provides the necessary biological and formal background, in a state-of-the-art review of current research.

This book constitutes revised selected papers from the 19th International Conference on Membrane Computing (CMC19), CMC 2018, which was held in Dresden, Germany, in September 2018. The 15 papers presented in this volume were carefully reviewed and selected from 20 submissions. The contributions aim to abstract computing ideas and models from the structure and the functioning of living cells, as well as from the way the cells are organized in tissues or higher order structures.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed extended postproceedings of the 5th International Workshop on Membrane Computing, WMC 2004, held in Milan, Italy in June 2004. The 20 revised full papers presented together with 6 invited papers went through two rounds of reviewing and improvement. All current topics in the area of membrane computing are addressed, ranging from mathematics and theoretical computer science to applications in biology, linguistics, and computer graphics. Issues related to computational power and complexity classes, new classes of P systems, fuzzy approaches, and reversibility and energy consumption are dealt with as well.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed extended postproceedings of the 6th International Workshop on Membrane Computing, WMC 2005, held in Vienna, Austria, in July 2005. The 20 revised full papers presented together with 5 invited papers went through two rounds of reviewing and improvement. The papers in this volume cover all the main directions of research in membrane computing, ranging from theoretical topics in mathematics and computer science, to application issues, especially in biology. More specifically, these papers present research on topics such as: computational power and complexity classes, new types of P systems, relationships to Petri nets, quantum computing, and brane calculi, determinism vs. nondeterminism, hierarchies, the size of small families, algebraic approaches, and designing polynomial solutions to NP-complete problems through the use of membrane systems.

This book constitutes the thoroughly refereed post-conference proceedings of the 11th International Conference on Membrane Computing, CMC11, held in Jena, Germany, in August 2010 - continuing the fruitful tradition of 10 previous editions of the International Workshop on Membrane Computing (WMC). The 23 revised full papers presented together with 4 invited papers and the abstracts of 2 keynote lectures were carefully reviewed and selected from numerous submissions. The papers address in this volume cover all the main directions of research in membrane computing, ranging from theoretical topics in the mathematics and computer science to application issues. A special attention was paid to the interaction of membrane computing with biology and computer science, focusing both on the biological roots of membrane computing, on applications of membrane computing in biology and medicine, and on possible electronically based and bioinspired implementations.