Design of Cellular Self-Organizing Systems Available to Purchase

Technology development is facing increased challenges as engineers begin to tackle the problem domains with greater uncertainty. Future engineered systems must be able to function in unpredictable environments such as deep ocean, rough terrain, and outer space while performing uncertain tasks like hazardous waste cleanup and search-and-rescue missions. Furthermore, the increasing size of engineered systems introduces unplanned interdependencies of components. Complex systems can provide the adaptability in order to manage uncertainties that traditional systems cannot. As the uncertainty of the problem domain increases, engineering design methods must be advanced in order to properly address the changing needs and constraints. This paper proposes a new approach inspired by natural phenomena in order to extend the design envelope towards an artificial nature. This approach broadens the traditional design and re-design methods by utilizing the self-organization process exhibited in natural systems. From a design point of view, the critical question is: how can system adaptability be designed into complex systems based only on local interactions between (many) simple cells? The goal is to design systems that excel in hostile and unpredictable environments where it is impossible for the designer to conceptualize every possible contingency. The key is to focus on the interactions and behaviors of the system. In this paper, we suggest a meta-behavior model for cellular self-organization systems that can be used as a design approach to guide emergent function capacities.