ABSTRACT
Any programmable response of a material to external stimulation can be interpreted as computation. The computing structures could be seen as growing on demand, and logical gates develop in a continuum where an optimal distribution of material minimises internal energy. This chapter aims to develop the ideas of evolution of material structure and shows how logical circuits can be built in topology optimized structures, in sandstone structures governed by erosion, and in networks of conductive material. A topology optimisation in continuum mechanics aims to find a layout of a material within a given design space that meets specific optimum performance targets. When stating a topology optimisation problem for a solution of the heat conduction problems, it is necessary to find an optimal distribution for a limited mass of conductive material in order to minimise heat release, which corresponds to designing a thermal conductive device.
