Universal Constructor

“John von Neumann’s universal constructor is a self-replicating machine in a cellular automaton (CA) environment. It was designed in the 1940s, without the use of a computer. The fundamental details of the machine were published in von Neumann’s book Theory of Self-Reproducing Automata, completed in 1966 by Arthur W. Burks after von Neumann’s death. It is regarded as foundational for automata theory, complex systems, and artificial life. Indeed, Nobel Laureate Sydney Brenner considered von Neumann’s work on self-reproducing automata (together with Turing’s work on computing machines) central to biological theory as well, allowing us to ‘discipline our thoughts about machines, both natural and artificial.’”