Asynchronous self-reproducing loops with arbitration capability

This paper proposes self-reproducing loops (SRLs) implemented on a self-timed cellular automaton (STCA), a type of asynchronous cellular automaton (ACA). Self-reproduction of a wide variety of shapes of SRLs is made possible by employing the so-called shape-encoding mechanism, which self-inspects a loop and generates construction signals accordingly. Due to the model’s asynchronous mode of timing, a dynamic interplay between SRLs occurs, in which SRLs compete for space to place their offspring. Deadlock situations caused by the collisions are reliably arbitrated utilizing only local interactions of SRLs.