Table of contents
Chapter 1. The Concept of Self-Replicating Machines...24
Chapter 2. Classical Theory of Machine Replication...33
2.1 Von Neumann’s Contributions...33
2.1.1 A Logical Organization of Self-Replication...34
2.1.2 The Kinematic Model of Machine Replication...36
2.1.3 The Cellular Automaton (CA) Model of Machine Replication...39
2.1.4 Limitations of von Neumann’s Cellular Automaton Model...42
2.1.5 Design for Nonevolvability...43
2.2 Subsequent Work on Computational Models of Self-Replication...44
2.2.1 Cellular Automata Models of Self-Replication...44
2.2.2 Computational Modeling with Continuous Space and Virtual Physics...50
2.3 Alternative Models of Machine Replication...52
2.3.1 Simplified von Neumann Automaton Replication...53
2.3.2 Von Neumann Automaton Replication with Diversification...53
2.3.3 Thatcher’s Variant: Inferring Structure...53
2.3.4 Replication by Component Analysis...54
2.3.5 Machine Replication Without Description...55
2.3.6 Nonautonomous Machine Replication...56
2.3.7 Embodied Evolution: Algorithmic Replication...57
Chapter 3. Macroscale Kinematic Machine Replicators...59
3.1 Moore Artificial Living Plants (1956)...59
3.2 Browning Unnatural Living State (1956, 1978)...62
3.3 Penrose Block Replicators (1957-1962)...63
3.4 Jacobson Locomotive Toy Train Replicator (1958)...66
3.5 Morowitz Floating Electromechanical Replicator (1959)...68
3.6 Dyson Terraforming Replicators (1970, 1979)...70
3.7 Self-Replicating Automated Industrial Factory (1973-present)...71
3.8 Macroscale Kinematic Cellular Automata (1975-present)...78
3.9 Space Manufacturing Systems with Bootstrapping (1977-present)...93
3.10 Taylor Santa Claus Machine (1978)...96
3.11 Freitas Interstellar Probe Replicator (1979-1980)...98
3.12 Bradley Self-Replicating Teleoperated Machine Shop (1980)...101
3.13 NASA Summer Study on Self-Replicating Systems (1980-1982)...105
3.13.1 NASA Robot Replication Feasibility Demonstration...111
3.13.2 Self-Replicating Lunar Factories...114
3.13.2.1 Von Tiesenhausen Unit Replication System...115
3.13.2.2 Freitas Factory Replication System...119
3.14 Freitas Atomic Separator Replicator (1981)...125
3.15 Lackner-Wendt Auxon Replicators (1995)...126
3.16 The Collins Patents on Reproductive Mechanics (1997-1998)...128
3.17 Lohn Electromechanical Replicators (1998)...137
3.18 Moses Self-Replicating Construction Machine (1999-2001)...141
3.19 Self-Replicating Robots for Space Solar Power (2000)...147
3.20 Three-Dimensional Solid Printing (2000-present)...148
3.21 Bererton Self-Repairing Robots (2000-2004)...155
3.22 Brooks Living Machines Program (2001-present)...157
3.23 Chirikjian Group Self-Replicating LEGO® Robots (2001-2003)...159
3.23.1 Prototype 1 (2001)...159
3.23.2 Remote-Controlled Self-Replicating Robots (2002)...161
3.23.3 Semi-Autonomous Self-Replicating Robot (2002)...167
3.23.4 Suthakorn-Cushing-Chirikjian Autonomous Replicator (2002-2003)...167
3.24 Chirikjian Self-Replicating Lunar Factory Concept (2002)...171
3.25 NIAC Phase I Studies on Self-Replicating Systems (2002-2004)...174
3.25.1 Lipson Self-Extending Machines (2002)...174
3.25.2 Chirikjian Self-Replicating Lunar Factories (2003-2004)...175
3.25.3 Todd Robotic Lunar Ecopoiesis (2003-2004)...176
3.25.4 Toth-Fejel Kinematic Cellular Automata (2003-2004)...176
3.26 Robosphere Self-Sustaining Robotic Ecologies (2002-2004)...177
3.27 Lozneanu-Sanduloviciu Plasma Cell Replicators (2003)...179
3.28 Griffith Mechanical Self-Replicating Strings (2003-2004)...179
3.29 Self-Replicating Robotic Lunar Factory (SRRLF) (2003-2004)...185
Chapter 4. Microscale and Molecular Kinematic Machine Replicators...190
4.1 Molecular Self-Assembly and Autocatalysis for Self-Replication...193
4.1.1 Self-Assembling Peptides, Porphyrins, Nucleotides and DNA...194
4.1.2 Self-Assembling Crystalline Solids...198
4.1.3 Self-Assembling Dendrimers...199
4.1.4 Self-Assembling Rotaxanes and Catenanes...199
4.1.5 Self-Assembly of Mechanical Parts and Conformational Switches...200
4.1.6 Autocatalysis and Autocatalytic Networks...204
4.2 Ribosomes: Molecular Positional Assembly for Self-Replication...206
4.3 Natural Biological Replicators...213
4.3.1 Prions...214
4.3.2 Viroids...215
4.3.3 Viruses...217
4.3.4 Prokaryotic Cells...220
4.3.5 Plasmids...222
4.3.6 Eukaryotic Cells...224
4.3.7 Mitochondria...226
4.3.8 Large Metazoans...228
4.4 Artificial Biological Replicators (1965-present)...228
4.5 Biomolecular-Directed Positional Parts Assembly (1994-present)...233
4.5.1 Positional Assembly Using DNA...234
4.5.2 Positional Assembly Using Proteins...237
4.5.3 Positional Assembly Using Microbes and Viruses...240
4.5.4 Positional Assembly Using Other Biological Means...242
4.6 Feynman Hierarchical Machine Shop (1959) and Microassembly...243
4.7 Shoulders Electronic Micromachining Replicator (1960-1965)...246
4.8 Laing Molecular Tapeworms (1974-1978)...248
4.9 Drexler Molecular Assemblers (1981-1992)...250
4.9.1 Drexler Generic Assembler (1986)...253
4.9.2 Drexler Extruding Tube Assembler (1988)...254
4.9.3 Drexler Nanofactory Replication System (1991-1992)...255
4.9.4 Feynman Grand Prize (Foresight Institute)...260
4.10 Merkle Molecular Assemblers (1991-2000)...261
4.10.1 Merkle Generic Assembler (1992-1994)...261
4.10.2 Merkle Cased Hydrocarbon Assembler (1998-2000)...263
4.11 Extruding Brick Assemblers (1992-2003)...265
4.11.1 Drexler Minimal Assembler (1992)...266
4.11.2 Merkle Replicating Brick Assembler (1995-1997)...270
4.11.3 Merkle-Freitas Hydrocarbon Molecular Assembler (2000-2003)...272
4.11.3.1 Summary Description...273
4.11.3.2 Product Object Extrusion...274
4.11.3.3 The Broadcast Architecture for Control...276
4.11.3.4 Hydrocarbon Assembler Subsystems...277
4.12 Bishop Overtool Universal Assembler (1995-1996)...280
4.13 Goddard Proposed Assembler Simulation Study (1996)...281
4.14 Zyvex Nanomanipulator Array Assembler System (1997-1999)...281
4.15 Bishop Rotary Assembler (1998)...282
4.16 Hall Factory Replication System (1999)...283
4.17 Zyvex Exponential Assembly (2000)...288
4.18 Freitas Biphase Assembler (2000)...291
4.19 Phoenix Primitive Nanofactory (2003)...294
4.20 Zyvex Microscale Assemblers (2003)...297
Chapter 5. Issues in Kinematic Machine Replication Engineering...300
5.1 General Taxonomy of Replicators...300
5.1.1 Dawkins Classification of Replicators (1976)...302
5.1.2 Miller Critical Subsystems of Living Systems (1978)...303
5.1.3 Hasslacher-Tilden MAP Survival Space (1994-1995)...305
5.1.4 Szathmary Classification of Replicators (1995-2000)...306
5.1.5 Sipper POE Model of Bio-Inspired Hardware Systems (1997)...308
5.1.6 Taylor Categorization of Reproducers (1999)...310
5.1.7 Bohringer et al Taxonomy of Microassembly (1999)...312
5.1.8 Suthakorn-Chirikjian Categorization of Self-Replicating Robots (2002-2003)...312
5.1.9 Freitas-Merkle Map of the Kinematic Replicator Design Space (2003-2004)...314
5.2 Replication Time vs. Replicator Mass...360
5.3 Minimum and Maximum Size of Kinematic Replicators...363
5.4 Efficient Replicator Scaling Conjecture...367
5.5 Fallacy of the Substrate...367
5.6 Closure Theory and Closure Engineering...370
5.7 Massively Parallel Molecular Manufacturing...374
5.8 Software Simulators for Robots and Automated Manufacturing...378
5.9 Brief Mathematical Primer on Self-Replicating Systems...379
5.9.1 Fibonacci’s Rabbits...379
5.9.2 Strategies for Exponential Kinematic Self-Replication...381
5.9.3 Limits to Exponential Kinematic Self-Replication...385
5.9.4 Performance of Convergent Assembly Nanofactory Systems...391
5.9.5 Power Law Scaling in Convergent Assembly Nanofactory Systems...395
5.9.6 Design Tradeoffs in Nanofactory Assembly Process Specialization...397
5.10 Replicators and Artificial Intelligence (AI)...401
5.11 Replicators and Public Safety...402
Chapter 6. Motivations for Molecular-Scale Machine Replicator Design...411
6.1 Initial Motivations for Study...411
6.2 Arguments Favoring a Focused Design Effort...412
6.2.1 Design Precedes Construction...412
6.2.2 Demonstration of Feasibility...413
6.2.3 Clarifying the Proposal...416
6.3 Arguments Against a Focused Design Effort...417
6.3.1 Molecular Assemblers Are Too Dangerous...417
6.3.2 Molecular Assemblers Are
|
Email this
Print this