A Computational Framework for Multilevel Morphologies

The hierarchical organisation of biological systems plays a crucial role in processes of pattern formation regulated by gene expression, and in morphogenesis in general. Inspired by the development of living organisms, the ability to reproduce a system’s dynamic at different levels of its hierarchy might also prove useful in the design of engineered products that manifest spatial self-organising properties. In this chapter, we describe a computational framework capable of supporting, through modelling and simulation, both the study of biological systems and the design of artificial systems that can autonomously develop a spatial structure by exploiting the potential of multilevel dynamics. Within this framework, we propose a model of the morphogenesis of Drosophila melanogaster reproducing the expression pattern in the embryo, then we examine a scenario of pervasive computing as a possible application of this model in the realisation of engineered products.