Algorithmic self-assembly

Algorithmic self-assembly deals with a subset of self-assembling systems whose behavior can be intrinsically guided by algorithms. Essentially, self-assembling systems span a spectrum related to the computational complexity of their components and behaviors, with systems at one end consisting of unique components which are hard-coded for each location of self-assembling structure, and those at the other end consisting of a generic set of components whose abilities to combine with each other are restricted so that they must follow computational rules.