Construction Challenges and Ideas

[AlbertArmStain]

Branching off of this idea, here’s a thread similar to that one but on a wider scale. This is where you come up with your ideas for things you (or other people) might want to build or consider in the future.

Here are my thoughts that I may want to build (in CGoL):
1. A Super computer
2. A multi-state grayscale metacell
3. A moving computer
4. An object that builds itself, but in 0e0p metacells

[confocaloid]

My two ideas:

• A pattern that reads the phase of some glider-constructible oscillator and builds a copy of that oscillator (in the same phase as the original), at some displacement from the original. The original oscillator may be preserved, or it may be cleanly destroyed (in the latter case it is allowed to build the copy later in the same location)
• An object with two or more distinct minimum-area single-phase bounding boxes

[AlbertArmStain]

Here’s an idea similar to the black hole idea:

•An engineered self-repair spaceship

[pipsqueek]

3. A moving computing

you mean computer?

EDIT: what about a computer that

• fits in a 1500x1500 bounding box
• has unbounded memory and program memory (probably via sliding block memory)
• is fast

[confocaloid]

This is where you come up with your ideas for things you (or other people) might want to build or consider in the future.

Reusable collectible engineered devices:

Code: Select all

x = 105, y = 75, rule = LifeHistory
22.2A$21.B2AB11.2A.A.2A$22.3B4.A.2A.A2.A.2A2.A$21.B.B5.2A.A.2A.A4.A.A
13.A$21.5B8.B2.5A.A12.3A$21.6B6.2ABA4.A13.A$21.8B4.2A.A.AB2.A12.2A$
22.13B2.A.A2B.A9.4B$20.13B5.A2B.2A8.3B20.2A$19.15B3.3B12.4B18.B2A2B3.
2A$19.15B3.2B12.5B19.4B2.B2AB$18.17B.4B11.6B14.B.6B3.2B$18.29B2.8B3.
2A7.10B2.2B$17.13B2A11BD14B3.A7.11B2A2B$16.14B2A9B3D13B4.A.AB3.12B2A
3B.B$15.2AB3.20BDBD4B.7B6.2AB3.18B2A$14.A2.A4.19BD15B7.3B2.15B.B2A$
13.A.2A5.6B3.B2.2B2.19B7.19B3.B$13.A7.6B14.17B7.18B$12.2A6.9B14.15B.
2B2.19B$19.4B4.2A15.22BD15B$18.4B5.A16.8B.13BDBD4B.7B$17.4B7.3A11.8B
3.2B2A9B3D4B2.6B$16.4B10.A11.2A3.B5.2B2A11BD5B.7B$3.2A10.4B24.A10.21B
.6B$4.A9.4B22.3A12.B.3B.4B7.9B$2.A10.4B23.A20.3B9.8B$2.5A5.4B5.2A28.
2A6.4B11.8B$7.A4.4B5.A30.A6.2A14.7B8.A$4.3AB2.7B.BA.A28.A9.A15.6B6.3A
$3.A.2B3.7B.B2A27.4A5.3A16.2B3D2B4.A$3.4A12B28.A5.2A2.A18.2BD4B4.2A$.
2A2.BA3B2A7B27.A2.4A.A21.B3D4B.4B$A2.3AB.2B2A7B28.2A.A.B5.A17.11B$2A.
A.B3.10B29.A.4B4.3A15.12B$3.A8.8B28.A.4B7.A6.4B4.12B$3.2A7.9B25.A.A.
2A3B5.2A5.6B4.11B$13.3B2.4B7.A16.2A.A.A3B5.4B3.8B5.9B$11.5B3.4B6.3A
17.A.4B.B5.B2A2.10B2.12B12.2A$11.2A7.4B8.A16.2A8B2.BA.A2.27B9.A$12.A
8.4B6.2A17.9B2.B2A3.30B3.BA.A$9.3A10.4B5.6B14.9B.3B3.28B2A2B.B2A$9.A
13.4B6.5B14.11B4.28B2A4B$24.4B4.7B12.12B4.34B$25.4B2.8B10.52B$26.14B
2.2B2.54B$27.22BD18BC5B3.13B3.3B.B$23.2A3.21BDBD4B.10BCBC2B8.8B$24.A
4.20B3D4B.6B2C3B2CB11.B2.2B$24.A.AB.22BD10BCBC4B$25.2A28B2.4BCBC5B$
26.17B.4B9.5BC5B$28.19B9.11B$19.A10.16B9.4B.5B$19.3A8.15B9.4B3.4B$22.
A7.14B9.4B3.6B$21.2A3.B3.13B9.4B3.8B$21.8B.12B9.4B3.4B2.4B$23.18B9.4B
3.4B4.4B$23.17B9.4B3.4B6.4B$22.17B9.4B3.4B8.4B$20.18B9.4B3.4B10.4B$
18.19B9.4B3.4B12.4B$18.2BE15B9.4B3.4B14.4B$17.3BEBE4B.9B7.4B3.4B16.4B
$18.2B3E4B2.7B7.4B3.4B18.4B$17.5BE4B4.5B6.4B3.4B20.4B$16.10B3.5B7.4B
3.4B22.4B$15.4B10.2A9.4B3.4B24.4B$15.3B12.A8.4B3.4B26.4B$13.4B10.3A8.
4B3.4B28.4B$13.2A12.A9.4B3.4B30.4B$14.A21.4B3.3EB32.4B$11.3A21.4B4.2B
E34.4B$11.A22.4B6.E36.4B!

Code: Select all

x = 93, y = 95, rule = LifeHistory
42.E$41.E2B$40.B3E$39.4B$38.4B$37.4B$36.4B$35.4B$34.4B$33.4B$32.4B$
31.4B$15.A14.4B$15.3A4.4B3.4B$18.A2.6B.4B12.2A.2A26.4B$17.2A2.10B14.A
.A26.5B.2B$12.A4.13B10.2A.A5.A.2A21.9B$12.3A4.11B9.A.A.2A3.2A.A.A18.
11B$15.A2.13B7.A2.B2.BA.AB2.B2.A17.12B$14.2A2.4BC4B.4B6.7AB.B7A16.13B
$14.3B.3BCBC9B9.3B.B.3B20.14B$16.6B2C5B.4B6.3AB.3B.B3A18.14B$15.13B3.
4B4.A.BA3BA3BAB.A17.15B$15.11B6.4B3.2A3.BABAB3.2A17.17B$16.10B7.4B7.B
ABAB20.21B$15.11B8.4B6.2BA2B.B12.4B2.22B$16.8B11.4B6.B.B.5B3.2B2.30B$
17.7B12.4B2.22BD27B$14.11B12.27BDBD26B$13.12B13.7B3D5B2A9B3DB2C23B$
13.12B14.6BD2BD4B2A11BDB2C21B$13.11B16.4BD2B2D43B$13.B3D4B.4B15.3B2D
2BDB2.B2.3B.B5.26B$13.2BD4B4.2A16.9B16.B2.19B$13.2B3D2B4.A10.2A5.9B
18.19B$13.6B6.3A7.A.A4.9B17.21B$12.7B8.A9.A4.2B2A3B.B2A14.9B.12B$11.
8B18.3A.2BA2BA2B.BA.A12.4B.5B.12B$10.8B17.2A2.BA3BABAB5.A11.4B2.4B3.
9B.B2C$10.8B16.A2.4A4BA4B3.2A9.4B13.6B.BC.C$8.2AB2.6B15.2A.A.4B5.2A
13.4B14.6B4.C$7.A.AB.7B18.A.2A7.A13.4B15.5B5.2C$7.A4.6B19.A.A9.3A9.4B
17.3B$6.2A4.6B13.2A3.2A.A.A9.A8.4B19.2B$5.A7.B2A2B7.2A3.A2.A.A4.2A17.
4B19.4B$5.3A5.B2A3B2.2A2.A.A2.A2.A.A22.4B19.B2CB$8.A3.7B2.A.A.A2.A.4A
.2A20.4B21.2C$.2A4.2A4.6B3.BA.AB2A6.B11.2A7.4B$2.A4.5B.7B2.2ABA3.5AB
2AB2.2B4.B2AB5.4B$2.A.AB3.10B3.3BA.2A4.A.2A6B.7B3.4B$3.2AB.5B3D3B.4B.
BABA2.A4.22B$5.8BDBD4B2A2B.BA2.2A6.19B$5.B2A7BD2B.A2BA2B11.19B$5.A2BA
3BDB2D4B2A2B.BA2.2A5.18B$5.BABA3B2D4B.4B.BABA2.A5.19B$5.2BA10B4.3BA.
2A4.2B.20B$4.14B4.2ABA6.2A22B$2A2.4B4.5B5.BA.AB2A3.2AB.6BA13B$A2.AB2A
6.4B4.A.A.A2.A4.B2.5BABA14B$.3ABABA6.4B3.2A2.A.A7.5BA2BA14B$5.A.A7.4B
6.2A9.5B2A16B$.5A.3A6.4B16.19B2.B2A$.A4.A3.A6.4B14.20B2.BA.A$4.A.A2.
2A7.4B12.2A16B.3B4.A$4.2A13.4B11.2A21B3.2A$20.4B11.2B.7B2.10B$21.4B
14.6B2.10B$22.4B14.4B3.8B$23.4B16.2B3.2B.4B$24.4B14.B2AB5.3B$25.4B14.
2A5.4B$26.4B19.4B$27.4B6.A10.4B$28.4B5.3A7.4B$29.4B7.A5.4B$30.4B5.2A
4.4B$31.4B4.9B$32.4B5.6B$33.4B2.8B$34.15B$35.14B$36.13B$37.10B.B2A$
39.3B2AB3.BA.A$39.3B2AB6.A$41.4B6.2A$41.3B$38.AB.2B$37.A.AB2AB$37.A.A
BABAB$34.2A.A.A.A.A2.A$34.A2.A2.2A.4A$36.2A4.A$42.A.A$43.2A!

(These could be created for use in some bigger pattern, yet potentially useful outside the original context -- or perhaps could be created for the sake of making components)

[confocaloid]

Coincidentally, these three reactions all have the same displacement, equal to 5 cells diagonally --

• the p1 version of the beehive crystal
• the fast 2G "pull+fire" operation
• the bricklayer reaction

I guess there has to be some way to construct something from this.

Demo:

Code: Select all

#C In this pattern, the bricklayer produces two diagonal lines
#C of blocks; the reaction moves with speed 5c/174d.
#C Blocks in the top line are pulled back to the origin and
#C deleted, one block at a time, by a p46 stream of glider pairs
#C performing the "fire and pull by (5,5)" operation.
#C Blocks in the bottom line serve as one-time replacements
#C for the eater 2 catalysts in the stable crystal;
#C the input glider stream comes from a receding 8c/96d backrake,
#C and the crystal grows with speed 5c/620d.
x = 269, y = 206, rule = B3/S23
236bo$234b2ob2o$236bo$220b2o$219bo2bo$218b2ob2o11b2o$221bo11bo2bo$219b
3o10bo3b2o$211b2o19bo4bo$211b2o20bo3bo$233bo2bo$235bo3$223b2o14bo7bo$
222b2obo12bobo5b3o$203b2o20b2o10bo2bo2b4ob2o$203b2o19bo18bo2b3o$240bo
2b2o2bo$238bobob2o$227b2o10bo$227b2o2$266b3o$195b2o38bo28bo$195b2o37bo
bo12bo13b2o$234bobo12bo11bo2bo$235bo13bo11bobo$167b2o94bo$167b2o78bo
15b2o$246bobo14bobo$176bo70bo14b2o$150b2o23bobo25bobo59b2o$151bo10b2o
10b2ob2o24b3o58bo$151bobo8b2o11bo2bo25b2o$152b2o21b2ob2o$176bobo$145b
2o30bo24bo$146bo55bobo22b3o$146bobo53b3o6b2o14b3o$147b2o52bo8b2o4bobo
7bo3bo$201b5o4b3o2bo2bo5b3ob2o$140b2o67b6obobo4bo4b2o$141bo67b2o2bo9bo
2bo33b2o$141bobo66b3o11b2o34b2o$142b2o45b2o20bo$189b2o$135b2o$136bo82b
o$136bobo34bo44bobo$137b2o34b2o9b2o32bobo10b3o$172bobo9b2o33bo11b3o18b
2o$130b2o120b2o$131bo98b2obo$131bobo95bo3bo$132b2o95b3o$211bo$125b2o
83bobo$126bo83bobo$126bobo82bo32b2o$127b2o115b2o$145b3o$120b2o25bo38b
2o$121bo24bo38bo2bo$121bobo62b2o$122b2o$88b3o$90bo24b2o89bobo$89bo26bo
88bob2o2bo$116bobo86bo3b3o$117b2o82bob2ob2o$201b2obobob2o$110b2o93b2o
2bo$111bo94bobo$111bobo95b3o$112b2o93b2o2bo$206bobobo$77b2o26b2o92b2ob
4o2bob2o$62b2o12bobo27bo92b2obobo2b2o2bo$60b5o13bo27bobo93bobobo2b2o$
52b2o5bo4bo18bobo21b2o46b2o42b4ob5o9b6o$52b2o5bo2b3o16b2o72bo37bo4bo4b
o4bo11b4o$59b2o2bo18b2o16b2o51bobo33b4obo4b3obob3o10bobo$61b2o20bo17bo
51b2o34bob2ob3o4b5o11b2o$101bobo45bo37bo4bo4bo17b2obo2bo$61b2o39b2o44b
obo15bo20bo3bob3obo17b2obo3bo$59b2o2bo84bob2o12b3o24bobo22bo3bob2o$52b
2o5bo2b3o12b2o6b2o8b2o52bobo11bo23bob3obo3bo19bo2bob2o$23b2o27b2o5bo4b
o12b2o6bo10bo52bo2bo10b2o22bo4bo4bo5bo16b2o$24bo35b5o21b3o7bobo50bo2bo
35b3ob2obo7bo14bobo$22bo39b2o24bo8b2o50bo2bo37bob4o7b2o10b4o$22b5o14b
2o33b2o72b3o38bo23b6o$27bo13bo34b2o12b2o$24b3o12bobo49bo55b2o20b2o33b
3o3bo$23bo15b2o50bobo48bo4b3o5bo13bo2bo29b2ob2o2bobo$23b4o65b2o47bob2o
b6obo17b2o29b2ob2o2bo$21b2o3bo3b2o109bob4obo5bo47b2ob2o3b6o$20bo2b3o4b
2o53b2o55bobo2b2o3b3o3b4o42b3o4bo2bo$20b2obo62bo59b2o8b4o2bo41bobo6b2o
$23bo62bobo18b2o40b2o5b6o50b2o$23b2o62b2o17bobo40b2o54b2o$108bo38b2obo
14b2o63b2o$80b2o66b3o14b2o63b2o$31b2o48bo67bo38b2o$32bo48bobo97b2o$29b
3o50b2o96b2o6bobo$29bo123b2o25bo2bo4b3o$75b2o74bo2bo24b6o3b2ob2o$76bo
75b2o31bo2b2ob2o$76bobo73bo30bobo2b2ob2o$77b2o105bo3b3o2$70b2o72b2o28b
6o23bo$71bo71bobo30b4o10b2o7b4obo$71bobo69bo30bobo14bo7bob2ob3o$72b2o
68b2o12b2obo13b2o16bo5bo4bo4bo$156b2ob3o9b2obo2bo19bo3bob3obo$65b2o95b
o8b2obo3bo22bobo$66bo72bobo14b2ob3o10bo3bob2o17bob3obo3bo$66bobo69bob
2o2bo9bo2bobo13bo2bob2o17bo4bo4bo$67b2o69bo3b3o9b2o20b2o11b5o4b3ob2obo
$134bob2ob2o33bobo10b3obob3o4bob4o$134b2obobob2o28b4o11bo4bo4bo4bo$
142bo28b6o9b5ob4o$138b4o42b2o2bobobo$138b2o2b3o38bo2b2o2bobob2o$141bo
2bo38b2obo2b4ob2o$141bobo40bobobo$132b2ob2o2bobob2o38bo2b2o$132b2obo2b
4o2bo38b3o$135bobobo2b2o6b2o34bobo$88b2o42b4ob2ob2o10bo2b2o28bo2b2o$
15b2o5b2o64bo32bo9bo4bo4bo10bo2b2o28b2obobob2o$15b2o5b2o61b2obo31bobo
2b3o4b3o3b3o10b2o34b2ob2obo$82b2o3bo34bo2bob3o4b2ob2o10bo33b3o3bo$81b
2o37b2o3bo4bo18bobobo29bo2b2obo$64b2obo16b2o13bo22bo3b2ob2o18bo3b2o31b
obo$64b2ob3o9b3obo13b3o23b2ob2o22b2o3bo$70bo25bo23b2ob2o3bo22bobobo$
15b3o3b3o40b2ob3o26b2o22bo4bo3b2o5bo18bo$14bo2bo3bo2bo40bobo53b3obo2bo
6bobo14b2o$14bo3bobo3bo40bobo55b3o2bobo5bo11b2o2bo$13b2obobobobob2o40b
o17b2o43bo18b2o2bo$13b2ob2o3b2ob2o58b2o67b2o$14b3o5b3o77b2o38bo$102bo
2bo28bobo4bobo$74b2o17bo10b2o28bo2bo10bo$74b2o10bo5bo2bo38b2o2bo2b2obo
3bo$84b2o2bo7bo41bo3bo2b2o$79b2o3bo2bob2o5bo41b3o2bo2bo$83b2ob2o6bobo
48bo$84b6o56bo$79bo18b2o63b2o$79bo18b2o63b2o$83bo30bo$80bo2bo31bo$11b
2o12bo55b3o3bo26bo2bo2b3o$11b2o2b2o9bo59b3o25b2o2bo3bo$15b2o7b3o58bo3b
o22bo3bob2o2bo2b2o$84b2ob2o23bo10bo2bo$86bo30bobo4bobo$22bo95bo$21b2o
83b2o$20b2obo5b2o14bo31b2o29bo2b2o18bo$30b2o12b2o15b2o13bobo29bo2b2o
11bo5bobo2b3o$15b2o6bo5bo13b2o16b2o13bo30b2o14bobo6bo2bob3o$14bobo27b
2o2b2o25b2o12b2obo12bo18bo5b2o3bo4bo$14bo74b2ob3o10bobobo22bo3b2ob2o$
13b2o80bo9bo3b2o22b2ob2o$2b2o85b2ob3o11b2o3bo18b2ob2o3bo$3bo40b2o2b2o
37bo2bobo14bobobo18bo4bo3b2o$3bobo28b2o7b2o16b2o24b2o22bo10b2ob2o4b3ob
o2bo$4b2o4bo23b2o8b2o15b2o45b2o10b3o3b3o4b3o2bobo$9bobo33bo58b2o2bo10b
o4bo4bo9bo$8bo3bo5bo85b2o2bo10b2ob2ob4o$9bobo6b2o89b2o6b2o2bobobo$10bo
6bobo96bo2b4o2bob2o$116b2obobo2b2ob2o$117bobo$4b2o110bo2bo$2o2b2o110b
3o2b2o$2o117b4o$118bo$118b2obobob2o$120b2ob2obo$116b3o3bo$116bo2b2obo$
4b3o3b3o106bobo$4bo2bobo2bo$4bo7bo2$5bo5bo$6b2ob2o12$4b2o5b2o$4b2o5b2o!

[AlbertArmStain]

How about a Riemann hypothesis solving machine

[AlbertArmStain]

Printer idea:

Code: Select all

x = 97, y = 59, rule = LifeHistory
55.2A$55.A$53.A.A$53.2A3$48.3A$50.A$49.A6$40.3A$42.A$41.A$45.3A$45.A$
46.A$.7D72.7D$.2D82.2D$.D.D28.3A49.D.D$.D2.D29.A48.D2.D$.D3.D27.A48.D
3.D$.D4.D74.D4.D$.D5.D72.D5.D$8.D70.D$9.D68.D$10.D66.D$11.D12.3A49.D$
12.D13.A48.D$13.D11.A48.D$14.D46.3A9.D$15.D45.A10.D$16.D45.A8.D$17.D52.
D$18.D50.D$19.D48.D$20.D46.D$.D2.2D3.D.D4.D4.D44.D$D.D.D.D.D.D.D2.2D5.
D42.D$3D.2D2.D.D.D3.D6.D40.D13.D2.2D3.D.D4.2D$D.D.D.D.D.D.D2.3D6.D38.
D13.D.D.D.D.D.D.D2.D2.D$25.D36.D14.3D.2D2.D.D.D4.D$26.D34.D15.D.D.D.D
.D.D.D3.4D$27.D32.D$28.D30.D$29.D28.D$30.D26.D$31.D24.D$32.D22.D$33.D
5.D8.D5.D$34.D4.D8.D4.D$35.D3.D8.D3.D$36.D2.D8.D2.D$37.D.D8.D.D$38.2D
8.2D$33.7D8.7D!

[dvgrn]

Printer idea...

This already has an implementation in the SQ / B2D memory storage unit in various calculator patterns.

It's an incredibly inefficient implementation by modern standards, but then again it does allow for turning pixels off as well as on, and reading their contents. It might be good to convert this challenge into a rebuild of the B2D unit, to see how much smaller it can be made with current technology.

[AlbertArmStain]

4. An object that builds itself, but in 0e0p metacells

here's how it will work:
1. The first reader builds the “skeleton” which is primarily splitters that each differ exactly by one meta cycle, eaters and blocks that are placed so that the Metacells can be built without trying to replicate, and one time splitters and reflectors that will destroy the eaters with almost perfect synchronization.
2. The first reader builds itself an activation mechanism to reverse read the binary data
3. The controller takes the data from the first reader and using data from the second reader and third reader, makes it apart of the "skeleton". If the data is one, read the second reader, if the data is zero, read the third reader. Every time the second and third readers are done, they will use the controller for the next bit on the first reader.
4. The controller activates a slow salvo storage mechanism that holds the slow salvo for the metacell and links it to the "skeleton"
5. The slow salvo for the metacell is copied twice into the skeleton, the first one is for the body of the rep, the second time, the data inside the 0E0P metacells
6. once everything is finished, the eaters are deleted with almost perfect synchronization.

[toroidalet]

I think it would be easier to make something similar to the stable storage spaceship, where meta-gliders build the meta-version of the pattern and then lift the data tape into the meta-realm (metaverse?). So we would only directly construct a meta-gun that fires a glider pair like the one in the RCT; meta-gliders would do the rest, which is probably much cheaper.

[Gamer729]

Possibly using a snarkmaker and a binary register, a dragon curve generator (a fractal - google it before reading). This algorithm adds 1 more iteration to a list of L/R turns (that would be stored on the binary register).
1)Start with a left turn
2)Put the current sequence into a spare register. This sequence has to be NOT, so a L to R and R to L.
3)Add an L to the current sequence.
4)Add the spare sequence onto the current sequence in reverse order (so LLR in the spare register means RLL is added to the current register.
5)do 2-4 a few times (say 6)
6)Feed the program into a special gun that will make the salvo required.
Bear in mind that our series of snarks would have to turn 2 types of gliders, for a L/R the next turn in the curve.
The computer would need to be in the middle of a grid square.

[dvgrn]

Possibly using a snarkmaker and a binary register, a dragon curve generator (a fractal - google it before reading).

This would be a very impressive pattern in theory. In practice I suspect it would be unlikely to run very well in our current simulation software (Golly HashLife). There end up being streams of gliders going in a lot of different directions, both in the circuitry storing the Snarkmaker recipe and in the streams following the dragon-curve Snark chain. I would think you'd end up with too many hashtiles even for a modern high-RAM system.

I'm not sure if an acceptable substitute might be a APGsembly program that draws the dragon curve using bits in a B2D memory unit. That wouldn't need long streams of single-channel gliders traveling down the curve, so I think it could be made to run quite a bit faster.

I'm not absolutely sure about any of this, though -- it's all based on the behavior of patterns like spiral growth and Hydra.

[confocaloid]

Implement Mersenne Twister pseudo-random number generator inside the Life universe.

[AlbertArmStain]

I plan on building a diehard that will self destruct when it halts. We could make a diehard that last for an unknown amount of time. Like if it comes to a solution to an unknown conjecture it will self destruct.
EDIT:
I mean some extremely simple conjecture like if it finds a Fermat prime past n=5 or a quasiperfect number.

Implement Mersenne Twister pseudo-random number generator inside the Life universe.

What are you going to use that for though?

[confocaloid]

Implement Mersenne Twister pseudo-random number generator inside the Life universe.

What are you going to use that for though?

Fully automated testing of high-coefficient stable pulse dividers?
Seriously, I suspect it could be a challenging project on its own.

[AlbertArmStain]

More ideas:
•Make a better and faster display for the universal computer
•Build an engineered diehard that last for an unknown amount of generations
•Construct a fly-by reaction based computer

[77551enpassant]

•Build an engineered diehard that last for an unknown amount of generations

I've suggested that we could make a machine that uses lambda calculus or something similar to calculate something extremely large like Graham's number, but I don't know how small that could be made. We could probably make something small that calculates an unsolved theorem (like the Collatz conjecture or Goldbach's conjecture) in a diehard.

[confocaloid]

I'm pretty certain it's possible to make a "universal eater"; a still life that is eats any glider that collides with it. But in a large soup it would immediately be killed by two gliders hitting it simultaneously. I don't have any idea whether it's possible to build a structure that can withstand many different kinds of impact.

A possibly simpler challenge idea: create a stable "universal eater" that will eat every single glider arriving from one specific direction.
One can imagine a layer of blocks or other common still lives, arranged to detect any single glider colliding with it from northwest, and communicate the signal to a mechanism safely hidden behind the blocks. Then the mechanism slowly rebuilds the damaged part of the detection layer.

Code: Select all

x = 90, y = 54, rule = B3/S23
82b2o2b2o$82b2o2b2o2$bo$2bo76b2o$3o76b2o2$75b2o$75b2o2$69b2o$69b2o4$
68b2o$68b2o$61b2o$61b2o3$58b2o$58b2o2$54b2o23b6o$54b2o21b3o4b2o$76b2o
8bo$75b2o10bo$54b2o19bo11bo$54b2o18bo13bo$74bo13bo$51b2o21bo13bo$51b2o
21bo13b2o$74b2o13bo$75bo13bo$89bo$89bo$88b2o$43b2o43bo$43b2o41b2o$84b
3o$83b2o$40b2o39b3o$40b2o38b2o$80b2o$36b2o42b2o$36b2o42b2o$80b2o2$36b
2o$36b2o2$80b2o$80b2o!

[AlbertArmStain]

More ideas:
Isotropic non-totalistic rule emulating metacell
A graphing calculator in CGoL

[haaaaaands]

minecraft in life?

[dvgrn]

Isotropic non-totalistic rule emulating metacell
A graphing calculator in CGoL

We kind of have both of those already -- two implementations, in the first case (the p1 megacell and the 0E0P metacell).

The "SQ" unit from the Osqrtlogt pattern, a.k.a. the "B2D" unit from the Life textbook, can be used to plot arbitrarily large graphs. It's programmable using APGsembly, which can also perform arbitrary calculations. Whether or not that counts as a "graphing calculator" is maybe open to debate, but it seems at least like a plausible claim.

[C_R_116]

8-bit SIPO Register:

Code: Select all

x = 300, y = 368, rule = B3/S23
166bo$164bobo$165b2o28$196bo$194bobo$195b2o5$290b2o$290b2o7$211bo$209b
obo$210b2o$290b3o$272b2o15bo3bo$272b2o14bo5bo$289bo3bo$290b3o$290b3o5$
292b3o$287bo3b2ob2o$226bo58b2o4b2ob2o$224bobo43b5o11b2o3b5o$225b2o42bo
b3obo14b2o3b2o$270bo3bo$271b3o$272bo2$278bobo$278b2o$270bo8bo3bo$270bo
11b2o$269bobo5bo4bobo$268b2ob2o2bobo$267bo5bo2b2o$270bo22b2o3b2o$267b
2o3b2o19bo5bo2$290b2o2bo3bo$269bo19b2o4b3o$269bo21bo$268bo$278bobo5b2o
$277bo8bobo$270b2o5bo5b2obobo$270b2o5bo2bo2bobobo$277b3o5bo8bo$285b2o
5b2ob2o$285b3o$285b3o3bo5bo$285b3o$285b2o4b2obob2o$285bo$283bobobo$
283b2obobo$286bobo$23b2o261b2o$22bobo251bobo$21b3o255bo$21b2o256bo$21b
2o253bo2bo13b2o$22bobo252b3o13b2o$23bo3$20b2o3b2o$20b2o3b2o244bo$269bo
bo$22b3o245b2o$22b3o$23bo4$17bobo$17bo3bo$21bo$17bo4bo23bo2bo$21bo28bo
$8b2o7bo3bo24bo3bo$7bobo7bobo27b4o$7bo$6b2o2$42b2o$42bo$18b2o3b2o19bo
8b2o$18b2o4bo18b2o7bobo$24bobo8b2o4bo3b2o4b3o$25b2o7bo2bo3b4o2bo3b2o$
15b2o18b2o7bob2o3b2o$15b2o24b2obobo5bobo$41b2obobo6bo$18b2o24bob2o$18b
2o10bo13bo$29bobo10bobo5b2o3b2o$24b2o4bo11b2o6b2o3b2o$23bobo9b2o$25bo
10bo15b3o$31b2o3bob2o12b3o$7b3o21b2o2b2obo2bo11bo$7bobo28bob2o$7bo2bo
20b2o5bo$8b3o20bo5b2o$8b3o22bo13bobo$6bo2bo22b2o13bo3bo$bo7bo41bo$obo
3bo40bo4bo$2o49bo$8bo29b2o7bo3bo$2o5bo29bobo7bobo$o6b2o28bo$2bo33b2o
20b2o$b2o7b2o46bobo$10b2o46bo13b2o$72bo$48b2o3b2o19bo8b2o$7b2o39b2o4bo
18b2o7bobo$7b2o45bobo9bobobo4b2o4b3o$55b2o9bo6b2o2bo3b2o$45b2o19bob4o
2bob2o3b2o$45b2o20bo3b2obobo5bobo$74bobo6bo$48b2o24bob2o$49bo10bo13bo$
48bo10bobo10bobo5b2o3b2o$60bo11b2o6b2o3b2o$50bo14b2o$47bo18bo15b3o$47b
o2bo10b2o3bob2o12b3o$46b3o12b2o2b2obo2bo11bo$46b3o19bob2o$46bo2bo11b2o
5bo$47bobo11bo5b2o$47b3o13bo13bobo$62b2o13bo3bo$31bo49bo$31bobo43bo4bo
$31b2o48bo$31bo36b2o7bo3bo$30b2o5b2o28bobo7bobo$30bo6b2o28bo$32bo33b2o
$31b2o7b2o$40b2o60b2o$102bo$78b2o3b2o19bo8b2o$37b2o39b2o4bo18b2o7bobo$
37b2o45bobo14bo3b2o4b3o$85b2o14b4o2bo3b2o$75b2o27bob2o3b2o$75b2o17b2o
5b2obobo5bobo$94b2o5b2obobo6bo$78b2o24bob2o$78b2o24bo$102bobo5b2o3b2o$
84b2o16b2o6b2o3b2o$83bobo9b2o$85bo10bo15b3o$91b2o3bob2o12b3o$67b3o21b
2o2b2obo2bo11bo$67bobo28bob2o$67bo2bo20b2o5bo$68b3o20bo5b2o$68b3o22bo
13bobo$66bo2bo22b2o13bo3bo$69bo41bo$66bo40bo4bo$111bo$68bo29b2o7bo3bo$
60b2o5bo29bobo7bobo$60bo6b2o28bo$62bo33b2o$61b2o7b2o$70b2o60b2o$132bo$
108b2o3b2o19bo8b2o$67b2o39b2o4bo18b2o7bobo$67b2o45bobo14bo3b2o4b3o$
115b2o14b4o2bo3b2o$105b2o27bob2o3b2o$105b2o17b2o5b2obobo5bobo$124b2o5b
2obobo6bo$108b2o24bob2o$109bo24bo$108bo23bobo5b2o3b2o$132b2o6b2o3b2o$
110bo14b2o$107bo18bo15b3o$107bo2bo10b2o3bob2o12b3o$106b3o12b2o2b2obo2b
o11bo$106b3o19bob2o$106bo2bo11b2o5bo$107bobo11bo5b2o$107b3o13bo13bobo$
122b2o13bo3bo$141bo$137bo4bo$141bo$128b2o7bo3bo$90b2o5b2o28bobo7bobo$
90bo6b2o28bo$92bo33b2o$91b2o7b2o$100b2o60b2o$162bo$138b2o3b2o19bo8b2o$
97b2o39b2o4bo18b2o7bobo$97b2o45bobo14bo3b2o4b3o$145b2o14b4o2bo3b2o$
135b2o19b2o6bob2o3b2o$135b2o19b2o3b2obobo5bobo$161b2obobo6bo$138b2o24b
ob2o$138b2o24bo$162bobo5b2o3b2o$144b2o16b2o6b2o3b2o$143bobo9b2o$145bo
10bo15b3o$151b2o3bob2o12b3o$127b3o21b2o2b2obo2bo11bo$127bobo28bob2o$
127bo2bo20b2o5bo$128b3o20bo5b2o$128b3o22bo13bobo$126bo2bo22b2o13bo3bo$
121bo7bo41bo$120bobo3bo40bo4bo$120b2o49bo$128bo29b2o7bo3bo$120b2o5bo
29bobo7bobo$120bo6b2o28bo$122bo33b2o$121b2o7b2o$130b2o60b2o$192bo$168b
2o3b2o19bo8b2o$127b2o39b2o4bo18b2o7bobo$127b2o45bobo14bo3b2o4b3o$175b
2o14b4o2bo3b2o$165b2o19b2o6bob2o3b2o$165b2o19b2o3b2obobo5bobo$191b2obo
bo6bo$168b2o24bob2o$169bo24bo$168bo23bobo5b2o3b2o$192b2o6b2o3b2o$170bo
14b2o$167bo18bo15b3o$167bo2bo10b2o3bob2o12b3o$166b3o12b2o2b2obo2bo11bo
$166b3o19bob2o$166bo2bo11b2o5bo$167bobo11bo5b2o$167b3o13bo13bobo$182b
2o13bo3bo$151bo49bo$151bobo43bo4bo$151b2o48bo$151bo36b2o7bo3bo$150b2o
5b2o28bobo7bobo$150bo6b2o28bo$152bo33b2o$151b2o7b2o$160b2o60b2o$222bo$
198b2o3b2o19bo8b2o$157b2o39b2o4bo18b2o7bobo$157b2o45bobo8b2o4bo3b2o4b
3o$205b2o7bo2bo3b4o2bo3b2o$195b2o18b2o7bob2o3b2o$195b2o24b2obobo5bobo$
221b2obobo6bo$198b2o24bob2o$198b2o24bo$222bobo5b2o3b2o$204b2o16b2o6b2o
3b2o$203bobo9b2o$205bo10bo15b3o$211b2o3bob2o12b3o$187b3o21b2o2b2obo2bo
11bo$187bobo28bob2o$187bo2bo20b2o5bo$188b3o20bo5b2o$188b3o22bo13bobo$
186bo2bo22b2o13bo3bo$189bo41bo$186bo40bo4bo$231bo$188bo29b2o7bo3bo$
180b2o5bo29bobo7bobo$180bo6b2o28bo$182bo33b2o$181b2o7b2o$190b2o60b2o$
252bo$228b2o3b2o19bo$187b2o39b2o4bo18b2o$187b2o45bobo8b2o4bo3b2o$235b
2o7bo2bo3b4o2bo$225b2o18b2o7bob2o$225b2o24b2obobo$251b2obobo$228b2o24b
ob2o$229bo24bo$228bo23bobo$252b2o$230bo14b2o$227bo18bo$227bo2bo10b2o3b
ob2o$226b3o12b2o2b2obo2bo$226b3o19bob2o$226bo2bo11b2o5bo$227bobo11bo5b
2o$227b3o13bo$242b2o5$210b2o5b2o$210bo6b2o$212bo$211b2o7b2o$220b2o3$
217b2o$217b2o!

This was the most on-topic thread I could find. Where is the thread for digital circuitry?

[AlbertArmStain]

This was the most on-topic thread I could find. Where is the thread for digital circuitry?

You can make your own thread for digital circuitry.

[TYCF]

A matacell that can be set to on or off by placing a cell.