So I’m quite tired of thinking about this on my own so I leave this here so that hopefully someone :
- Understands what I’m talking about and it’s relevance
- Has resources to take on the project
I have been thinking about how to create a universal assembler for some time now. Initially I was thinking about how a machine could replicate itself independently but I came to the conclusion that it was easier to create a universal assembler with several other symbiotic machines external to it. This assembler could assemble any kind of machine but could not manufacture the parts of these machines, this manufacturing task would be distributed amongst the symbiotic machines.
I’m thinking of using a Pentakis dodecahedron as a structure simply because all sides are the same and it’s a good approximation of a sphere.
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On each of the inner sides I would install a track so that the internal machines (e.g. robotic arm, storage of intermediate parts) can move freely. These tracks would probably be similar to the way a Maglev track works (gradually magnetically activating sections).
Where each junction of 5 triangles is located I would install a track exchanger to allow fluid movement on the inner surface. I’m thinking of a cart basically where you could attach machines, storage and such.
I would put at least 2 robotic arms on carts in order to perform complex assembly operations that require dexterity (One arm would probably be enough for most operations). Each of the sides would be expandable so that one assembler could “give birth” to another assembler and the latter could become a new assembler of the same size.
I’m currently thinking of a screw-in-screw (nested in a screw) on each edge. The screws would turn in parallel at the intersection of the triangles in order to create an expansion of the structure. Once the screws are completely turned, they lock into place, leaving a solid structure. Electric motors would be synchronized in order to make sure the motion is fluid.
I would protect the screws with a cover resembling a telescopic arm so as not to damage the mechanism.
Now the exterior of the structure would be protected by an extensible elastomer ex: Polyisoprene. The interest of having a protection is to be able to deploy the assembler on the surface of a planet ex: Mars where small quantities of particles are in movement which could damage the assembly process.
We can therefore imagine the structure (Pentakis dodecahedron) covered with a layer of Polyisoprene (in triangular pieces) which once “scaled up” remains identical.
So we can have this reduced structure inside another assembler. Once this reduced structure is assembled inside a working assembler, it can be “born”. A pentagonal polyisoprene layer is placed on one of the inner pentagons, the outer pentagonal junction is destroyed leaving only the pentagonal polyisoprene layer. Now the reduced assembler is pushed into the polyisoprene pentagonal layer until the reduced structure is between the inside of the structure and the outside, with the polyisoprene pentagonal layer relatively extended. One can imagine the same concept of screws or the like pushing from the inside opposite of the structure.
Now we install a new junction of 5 triangles (screws with track exchange) inside the structure but this time with the polyisoprene layer pretended. The junction connects to the part that was pushing from the opposite side (small steel cylinder for example) and the mechanism (ex embedded screws) that had the function of pushing is retracted and stored or discarded. Now we can let go of the pentagonal polyisoprene piece and push the reduced structure completely out by first retracting the screws of the new junction and then making an expansion. Now the reduced structure is attached to the outside of the joint by a cylinder and the joint cylinder can be discarded.
We end up with a completed assembler and a reduced assembler. Now the expansion process begins, the nested screws are turned until they are fully expanded and then they are locked. We now have two structures of the same size. However, the internal tracks are not yet installed. The tracks are small pieces that fit together. They are stored near the track exchangers before the expansion so that they are not cumbersome. Now the robotic arms start taking the pieces and assembling them together… eventually all the tracks are laid down and the internal parts are free to move.
Given the very destructive nature of the operation, we do not want the assemblies to normally go through this procedure. We can therefore have on some triangles a replacement of the polyisoprene layer by a mechanism that allows the completed assemblies to be placed outside by a airlock similar to the space station. A similar system may exist for the inputs (e.g. parts to be assembled). One wants the assembler to do only assembly or almost only assembly (efficiency) and the other symbiotic machines e.g. (Blast furnace, ore extraction robot, cnc milling machine, lathe, photolithography, monocrystalline silicon crystal growth, transporters) to be outside. The reason is that most of these machines have thermal properties that would be hard to evacuate from inside the structure especially in a weak or non-existing atmosphere (mars, space vacuum).
So I imagine that commands (e.g. I want a chair, legs, connect to a seat, connect to a backrest) are sent to the universal assembler. The assembler must be able to determine the actions to take to assemble this object. He orders legs from the milling machine, which orders a steel block from the steel mill, which orders pig iron from the blast furnace. Everything is transported by the transporters. Eventually the legs, backrest and seat are inserted into the machine by the transporters, the assembly is done and a chair comes out of the machine.
When the machine wants to replicate itself, it orders chips from the semiconductor machine, parts for the robotic arms, wire from the wire machine, etc. It assembles the robotic arms, installs the arms inside the reduced structure etc…
On each of the 5 triangles junctions I imagine another system of interlocking screws but pointing outwards (legs) in this way the machine can move and anchor itself to the ground. When we have a reproduction in an environment where there is gravitation we see the relevance of these legs which can expand to leave room for the reduced structure below it.