© 2004 Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Ralph C. Merkle. All Rights Reserved.

Robert A. Freitas Jr., Ralph C. Merkle, Kinematic Self-Replicating Machines, Landes Bioscience, Georgetown, TX, 2004.

4.10 Merkle Molecular Assemblers (1991-2000)

Following Drexler’s original discussions [199, 208, 2910], Merkle authored or co-authored a series of papers during 1991-1999 discussing various operational aspects and specific components of assembler design, including mechanosynthetic positional control [219, 221, 2315], general design considerations for assemblers [210-212], the broadcast architecture [209], convergent assembly [213], binding sites [214], nanotech parts design [2316, 3050], positioning devices [215, 2017], mechanosynthetic path sets [216], designs for a neon pump [2317] and a fine motion controller [2318], and possible assembler casings [217]. Merkle explored four different specific architectures for molecular assemblers during the 1990s, including a generic assembler in 1992-1994 (Section 4.10.1), a replicating brick assembler in 1995-1997 (see Section 4.11.2), a convergent assembly factory system in 1996-1997 (see Section 5.9.4), and the cased hydrocarbon assembler in 1998-2000 (Section 4.10.2), described below.

Last updated on 1 August 2005