Collective Phenomena and Memory Formation in Fluidic Systems with Soft Valves

Memory formation is a natural process in systems as diverse as ferromagnets or packings of soft spheres, which can exhibit different responses to external fields or shear forces depending on their past. In this talk, we will explore systems that introduce an additional layer of complexity by combining soft materials and fluids. Drawing inspiration from plant and animal vasculature, our research focuses on flow networks that incorporate valves with negative differential resistance. These valves are coupled through the fluid and act as internal degrees of freedom. When the external pressure is controlled, the system exhibits emerging collective phenomena. We will discuss the fluidic memristor, a system whose global resistance can be tuned through the applied protocol. Finally, as we increase the complexity of the system, other collective phenomena can emerge, such as excitability and self-sustained oscillations.