EAGER: A DNA-Based, Cellar and Self-Organizing Approach to Adaptive System Development

该奖项的研究目标是开发一种基于合成DNA的细胞和自组织框架，用于概念化和设计自适应系统。这代表了自适应系统开发的一种新的设计方法。这样的系统需要在空间探索，在危险情况下执行任务，并延长工程系统的效用和寿命。遵循自然的生物合成方法来形成生物系统，本研究将开发基于DNA的产品表示，将生物概念和过程映射到机械产品和过程中。它还将研究基于DNA的细胞系统配置设计和基于自组织的构建机制。将进行基于计算机模拟的案例研究，以验证和展示新方法的有效性。该研究将为设计复杂和适应性工程系统的变革方法提供见解和研究计划。如果成功，这项研究的结果将为将生物学启发的系统设计和构建过程应用于自适应系统开发提供见解和初步设计方法。这项研究有可能开启一个利用生物学、复杂性和复杂系统知识的设计研究新领域。利用本研究的结果方法开发的自适应系统将通过消除人类参与无法到达和危险情况的需要，大大提高人类探索更深空间和海洋的能力。从这项研究中获得的知识将被纳入讲习班和设计课程。来自代表性不足群体的研究生将参与其中。K-12学生将参加一个研究开放日。通过这项研究开发的结果、方法和工具将可供研究界用于未来的探索。

The research objective of this EAGER award is to develop a synthetic DNA based, cellular and self-organizing framework for conceptualizing and designing adaptive systems. This represents a new design methodology for adaptive systems development. Such systems are needed in space exploration, performing tasks in hazardous situations, and for extending utility and lifetime of engineered systems. Following nature's biological synthesis approach to the formation of biological systems, this research will develop a DNA based product representation that maps biological concepts and processes into mechanical products and processes. It will also investigate DNA based cellular system configuration design and self-organizing based construction mechanisms. Computer simulation based case studies will be carried out to verify and demonstrate the effectiveness of the new methodology. The research will result in insights and a research program for a transformative approach to designing complex and adaptive engineered systems.If successful, the results of this research will provide insights and initial design methods for applying a biology inspired system design and construction process to adaptive systems development. The research has the potential of opening a new field of design research that takes advantage of the knowledge of biology, complexity and complex systems. The adaptive systems developed using the resulting methodology of this research will significantly enhance human being's exploration capability to reach deeper spaces and oceans by eliminating the needs for having human beings involved in unreachable and dangerous situations. The knowledge gained from this research will be incorporated in workshops and design curricula. Graduate students from underrepresented groups will be involved. A research open house will be held for K-12 students to participate. The results, methods, and tools developed through this research will be available to the research community for future explorations.