© 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.

6.4 Specific Goals of a Focused Design Effort

Given that a focused design effort for molecular assemblers would be deemed useful, what should such an effort aim to produce? We believe the results of such an effort ideally should aim to demonstrate feasibility of a specific molecular design: (1) by exemplifying programmable molecularly precise positional assembly and self-replication in a molecular manufacturing system (Section 6.4.1); (2) by exemplifying a simple design (Section 6.4.2), a capable design (Section 6.4.3), and a benign design (Section 6.4.4); and (3) by embodying principles of good design (Section 6.4.5). We conclude with some recommendations for future work (Section 6.4.6).

Last updated on 1 August 2005