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Heinz von Foerster and Early Research in the Field of Pattern Recognition at the Biological Computer Laboratory

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Computer Aided Systems Theory – EUROCAST 2019 (EUROCAST 2019)

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Abstract

This paper deals with the early phase of research in the field of pattern recognition in the 1960s using Heinz von Foerster’s Biological Computer Laboratory (BCL) as an example. In a first step, the foundation, rise and decline of the BCL are outlined. Subsequently, three machines will be presented that were expected to model the natural phenomenon of pattern. Finally, the suggestion is made to refer to these biological computers as “lively artifacts” and to understand their observation as an integral aspect of their mode of operation.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Universitätsallee 1, 21335, Lüneburg, Germany

    Jan Müggenburg

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  1. Jan Müggenburg
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Correspondence to Jan Müggenburg .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    Roberto Moreno-Díaz

  2. Johannes Kepler University Linz, Linz, Austria

    Franz Pichler

  3. University of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, Spain

    Alexis Quesada-Arencibia

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Müggenburg, J. (2020). Heinz von Foerster and Early Research in the Field of Pattern Recognition at the Biological Computer Laboratory. In: Moreno-Díaz, R., Pichler, F., Quesada-Arencibia, A. (eds) Computer Aided Systems Theory – EUROCAST 2019. EUROCAST 2019. Lecture Notes in Computer Science(), vol 12013. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45093-9_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-45093-9_15

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-030-45092-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-030-45093-9

  • eBook Packages: Computer ScienceComputer Science (R0)

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