59 research outputs found
The Two-Handed Tile Assembly Model Is Not Intrinsically Universal
In this paper, we study the intrinsic universality of the well-studied Two-Handed Tile Assembly Model (2HAM), in which two “supertile” assemblies, each consisting of one or more unit-square tiles, can fuse together (self-assemble) whenever their total attachment strength is at least the global temperature τ. Our main result is that for all τ′ < τ, each temperature-τ′ 2HAM tile system cannot simulate at least one temperature-τ 2HAM tile system. This impossibility result proves that the 2HAM is not intrinsically universal, in stark contrast to the simpler abstract Tile Assembly Model which was shown to be intrinsically universal (The tile assembly model is intrinsically universal, FOCS 2012). On the positive side, we prove that, for every fixed temperature τ ≥ 2, temperature-τ 2HAM tile systems are intrinsically universal: for each τ there is a single universal 2HAM tile set U that, when appropriately initialized, is capable of simulating the behavior of any temperature τ 2HAM tile system. As a corollary of these results we find an infinite set of infinite hierarchies of 2HAM systems with strictly increasing power within each hierarchy. Finally, we show how to construct, for each τ, a temperature-τ 2HAM system that simultaneously simulates all temperature-τ 2HAM systems
Intrinsic universality and the computational power of self-assembly
This short survey of recent work in tile self-assembly discusses the use of
simulation to classify and separate the computational and expressive power of
self-assembly models. The journey begins with the result that there is a single
universal tile set that, with proper initialization and scaling, simulates any
tile assembly system. This universal tile set exhibits something stronger than
Turing universality: it captures the geometry and dynamics of any simulated
system. From there we find that there is no such tile set in the
noncooperative, or temperature 1, model, proving it weaker than the full tile
assembly model. In the two-handed or hierarchal model, where large assemblies
can bind together on one step, we encounter an infinite set, of infinite
hierarchies, each with strictly increasing simulation power. Towards the end of
our trip, we find one tile to rule them all: a single rotatable flipable
polygonal tile that can simulate any tile assembly system. It seems this could
be the beginning of a much longer journey, so directions for future work are
suggested.Comment: In Proceedings MCU 2013, arXiv:1309.104
Nascent nanocomputers: DNA self-assembly in O(1) stages
DNA self-assembly offers a potential for nanoscale microcircuits and computers. To make that potential possible requires the development of reliable and efficient tile assembly models. Efficiency is often achieved by minimizing tile complexity, as well as by evaluating the cost and reliability of the specific elements of each tile assembly model. We consider a 2D tile assembly model at temperature 1. The standard 2D tile assembly model at temperature 1 has a tile complexity of O(n) for the construction of exact, complete n x n squares. However, previous research found a staged tile assembly model achieved a tile complexity of O(1) to construct n x n squares, with O(logn) stages. Our staged tile assembly model achieves a tile complexity of O(logn) using only O(1) stages to construct n x n squares
Noncooperative algorithms in self-assembly
We show the first non-trivial positive algorithmic results (i.e. programs
whose output is larger than their size), in a model of self-assembly that has
so far resisted many attempts of formal analysis or programming: the planar
non-cooperative variant of Winfree's abstract Tile Assembly Model.
This model has been the center of several open problems and conjectures in
the last fifteen years, and the first fully general results on its
computational power were only proven recently (SODA 2014). These results, as
well as ours, exemplify the intricate connections between computation and
geometry that can occur in self-assembly.
In this model, tiles can stick to an existing assembly as soon as one of
their sides matches the existing assembly. This feature contrasts with the
general cooperative model, where it can be required that tiles match on
\emph{several} of their sides in order to bind.
In order to describe our algorithms, we also introduce a generalization of
regular expressions called Baggins expressions. Finally, we compare this model
to other automata-theoretic models.Comment: A few bug fixes and typo correction
Fuel Efficient Computation in Passive Self-Assembly
In this paper we show that passive self-assembly in the context of the tile
self-assembly model is capable of performing fuel efficient, universal
computation. The tile self-assembly model is a premiere model of self-assembly
in which particles are modeled by four-sided squares with glue types assigned
to each tile edge. The assembly process is driven by positive and negative
force interactions between glue types, allowing for tile assemblies floating in
the plane to combine and break apart over time. We refer to this type of
assembly model as passive in that the constituent parts remain unchanged
throughout the assembly process regardless of their interactions. A
computationally universal system is said to be fuel efficient if the number of
tiles used up per computation step is bounded by a constant. Work within this
model has shown how fuel guzzling tile systems can perform universal
computation with only positive strength glue interactions. Recent work has
introduced space-efficient, fuel-guzzling universal computation with the
addition of negative glue interactions and the use of a powerful non-diagonal
class of glue interactions. Other recent work has shown how to achieve fuel
efficient computation within active tile self-assembly. In this paper we
utilize negative interactions in the tile self-assembly model to achieve the
first computationally universal passive tile self-assembly system that is both
space and fuel-efficient. In addition, we achieve this result using a limited
diagonal class of glue interactions
Self-Assembly of 4-sided Fractals in the Two-handed Tile Assembly Model
We consider the self-assembly of fractals in one of the most well-studied
models of tile based self-assembling systems known as the Two-handed Tile
Assembly Model (2HAM). In particular, we focus our attention on a class of
fractals called discrete self-similar fractals (a class of fractals that
includes the discrete Sierpi\'nski carpet). We present a 2HAM system that
finitely self-assembles the discrete Sierpi\'nski carpet with scale factor 1.
Moreover, the 2HAM system that we give lends itself to being generalized and we
describe how this system can be modified to obtain a 2HAM system that finitely
self-assembles one of any fractal from an infinite set of fractals which we
call 4-sided fractals. The 2HAM systems we give in this paper are the first
examples of systems that finitely self-assemble discrete self-similar fractals
at scale factor 1 in a purely growth model of self-assembly. Finally, we show
that there exists a 3-sided fractal (which is not a tree fractal) that cannot
be finitely self-assembled by any 2HAM system
On the Equivalence of Cellular Automata and the Tile Assembly Model
In this paper, we explore relationships between two models of systems which
are governed by only the local interactions of large collections of simple
components: cellular automata (CA) and the abstract Tile Assembly Model (aTAM).
While sharing several similarities, the models have fundamental differences,
most notably the dynamic nature of CA (in which every cell location is allowed
to change state an infinite number of times) versus the static nature of the
aTAM (in which tiles are static components that can never change or be removed
once they attach to a growing assembly). We work with 2-dimensional systems in
both models, and for our results we first define what it means for CA systems
to simulate aTAM systems, and then for aTAM systems to simulate CA systems. We
use notions of simulate which are similar to those used in the study of
intrinsic universality since they are in some sense strict, but also
intuitively natural notions of simulation. We then demonstrate a particular
nondeterministic CA which can be configured so that it can simulate any
arbitrary aTAM system, and finally an aTAM tile set which can be configured so
that it can be used to simulate any arbitrary nondeterministic CA system which
begins with a finite initial configuration.Comment: In Proceedings MCU 2013, arXiv:1309.104
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