WDWorm: A runtime-efficient and user-friendly GUI-based toolbox for experimenting with the nerve net of C. elegans

Nerve net simulators of C. elegans heavily support research of its nerve net functionality by offering the possibility to conduct digital experiments instead of real ones. However, current software tools are complex and difficult to use for non-programmers. With WDWorm, we offer a user-friendly toolbox with graphical user interface for simulating and experimenting with C. elegans’ nerve net. It does not require an installation and allows for several modifications of the nerve net, including parameter changes of each neuron and connection or the deactivation of individual neurons. Furthermore, a comparison with other software tools highlights that WDWorm is currently the most runtime-efficient approach for simulating and digitally experimenting with C. elegans . To invite other developers and researchers, we provide the source code in an open-access format under a CC-BY 4.0 Creative Commons license. The code is publicly available at https://github.com/dsacri/WDWorm .