The basic idea is that we can take a regular "gear" with 6 or 8 teeth, and remove some of the teeth (this is called mutilated gear), then we can use several layers of such mutilated gears to add logic robustness.
Here is an example:
- MMG_3dview.gif (587.83 KiB) Viewed 4918 times
I've build an emulator of Grid of such Gears, but have no time to continue the project to emulate fully the CGOL logic (or at least rule 110).
Check out this code and this repository.
Anyway I've built a binary adder, and made a nice presentation explaining how this system works.
Check out this page with the presentation.
P.S. The larger context of this project is to provide mechanical brain alternative to electronics.
1. One idea is if the gears would be very small - like several atoms size, the system could even compete with electronics.
2. Another option is a case where electronics is unavailable. For example a von-neuman probe, and for less sci-fi we could build heat resistant brain, that could function in high temperature, like digging robots that can get deeper into the earth crust.
P.S. A more visual example of the MMG grid:
- Multi_Layer_Gear_Grid.gif (6.8 MiB) Viewed 4907 times