One-dimensional self-reproducing robot

A design concept for one-dimensional self-reproducing robots is presented. A self-reproducing machine is composed of separable parts (cells) and possesses genetic data which contains information to decide the structure of the machine body. The design concept has the following characteristics: (1) the cells specialize themselves according to their position in the body; (2) the machine grows in size by capturing isolated cells, connecting them to its body, and transferring the genetic data to the captured cells: and (3) the machine splits apart in the middle and makes two independent halves after growing to twice its initial size. Experiments have demonstrated the self-reproduction of mobile robots, each of which is composed of multiple cells connected to one another in a row, one-dimensionally