Achieving von Neumann's dream: artificial life on silicon

The work presented in this paper is based on advances in the field of computer engineering (machine architecture, self-test and artificial life) as well as in the related fields of molecular biology (genetics and embryology). Starting with a simple example of a digital circuit (a 4-state reversible counter), a methodology enabling the implementation of any combinational or sequential system on a 2-dimension cellular automaton (CA) is presented. The benefit brought by this methodology is its ability to synthesise and implement very complex digital functions on very simple and regular structures such as cellular automata. Furthermore, thanks to the contribution of genetics and built-in-self-test (BIST), some life-like properties such as self-adaptation and artificial healing provide a type of functional autonomy. The reconfiguration scheme emerges from the biological-like process. Applications of such techniques to embarked systems where access is difficult (space, sea or aggressive environment) will be of prime interest.<>