Self-replicating loop with universal construction

After a survey of the theory and some realizations of self-replicating machines, this paper presents a novel self-replicating loop endowed with universal construction properties. Based on the hardware implementation of the so-called Tom Thumb algorithm, the design of this loop leads to a new kind of cellular automaton made of a processing and a control units. The self-replication of the “LSL” acronym serves as an artificial cell division example of the loop and results in a new and straightforward methodology for the self-replication of computing machines of any dimensions.