Syringe

Syringe
x = 41, y = 36, rule = B3/S23 2bo$obo$b2o10$25bo$23b3o$22bo$22b2o$7b2o$8bo$8bob2o$9bo2bo23bo$10b2o 24bo$25b2o9b3o$25b2o11bo4$34bo3b2o$33bobo3bo$32bobo3bo$28b2obobo3bo$ 28b2obo2b4obo$32bobo3bobo$28b2ob2o2bo2bobo$29bobo2b2o3bo$17b2o10bobo$ 17b2o11bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ AUTOSTART ]] #C [[ THUMBNAIL THUMBSIZE 3 ZOOM 15 X 4 Y 4 HEIGHT 540 GPS 20 AUTOSTART T 0 PAUSE 2 T 165 PAUSE 2 LOOP 166 ]]
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Pattern type	Conduit
Conduit type	Converter
Input	Glider
Output	Herschel
Number of cells	66
Bounding box	24 × 34
Step	Unknown
Recovery time (ignoring FNG if any)	78 ticks
Minimum overclock period (ignoring FNG if any)	74 ticks
Spartan?	No
Discovered by	Tanner Jacobi
Year of discovery	2015
Rules Outer-totalistic rules B3/S23 – B3/S238 # of rules 21 = 2 Isotropic rules B3/S23 – B37c/S234c6ei8
Glider synthesis Fewest gliders 67† Uploaded synthesis RLE syringe_synth.rle †Can be constructed with 15 gliders using the reverse caber tosser universal constructor.
Pattern files Plaintext syringe.cells RLE syringe.rle

The syringe is a glider-to-Herschel converter discovered by Tanner Jacobi on March 19, 2015. It is composed of an eater 1, two blocks, a beehive with tail, and a large welded still life that combines an eater 2 and an eater 5 (with several existing variants). The syringe works by converting a bait block into a pi-heptomino, then hassling the pi into a B-heptomino that restores the bait block over the course of its evolution.

Its repeat time is 78, but it can be also overclocked to function with glider streams of period 74 or 75. Jeremy Tan coined the term 'syringe' to describe how it injects a glider into a Herschel system. Attempting to overclock the syringe at the intermediate periods of 76 and 77 causes the block to become an LWSS or MWSS; this immediately crashes into the beehive with tail so is of limited utility.

The syringe allows much more compactness and timing versatility in signal circuitry than Herschel conduits alone, and in combination with the Snark, it can largely replace very long p1 Herschel tracks (if they are not required to be Spartan, and the dependent form is spartan) by simply passing a glider from somewhere near the start to somewhere near the destination. This works similarly to Herschel transmitters and receivers, but in more flexible way. Within 3 days of the syringe's discovery, over half of all known guns from periods 14 to 999 were obsoleted by loops involving a syringe and various Snarks.

If the bait block is removed, subsequent gliders entering the syringe will be cleanly consumed by the eater 2. This was utilised by the 0E0P metacell in various places to act as a one-time valve, with the dependent form of the syringe.

The syringe was voted Pattern of the Year for 2015 on the ConwayLife.com forums.

It has been superseded as the fastest known stable glider-to-Herschel converter by the non-Spartan speed tunnel, which has a minimum repeat time of 61.

Dependent form

A variant of the syringe that replaces the welded eater 2 and eater 5 with a separate eater 2 and eater 1 was used in the Demonoid, a self-constructing spaceship. The eater 1 can only be made to fit if the syringe is followed by a dependent conduit. In rare cases where the following conduit does not allow any glider to escape at all (like the dependent beehive-producing H-to-MWSS conduit), only the eater 2 is required.

Unlike welded variants, this 'dependent syringe' is considered Spartan. It is most useful when attached to an Lx200, as this gives the minimal recovery time of 90. Another commonly used device in Spartan constructions is a small glider duplicator known as Scorbie Splitter.

x = 59, y = 61, rule = B3/S23 46b2o$47bo$47b3o16$48b2o$48b2o2$55bob2o$55b2obo3$39bob2o$o38b2obo$b2o$ 2o4$18bo$16b3o$15bo$15b2o$2o$bo$bob2o$2bo2bo23bo$3b2o24bo$18b2o9b3ob2o $18b2o11bob2o5$57b2o$57b2o$21b2obo6b2o$21b2ob3o3bobo$27bo2bo$21b2ob3o 2b2o26b2o$22bobo32b2o$10b2o10bobo18b2o$10b2o11bo18bobo$42bo$41b2o8b2o$ 51bo$52b3o$54bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 8 HEIGHT 600 GPS 48 T 0 PAUSE 1 T 137 PAUSE 1 T 340 PAUSE 1 LOOP 341 ]]

Dependent syringe followed by Lx200 (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

Variants

The eater 1 can be replaced by a snake-type catalyst (or placed in any of two other possible orientations).

x = 50, y = 39, rule = B3/S23 9bo13bobo$9b3o11b2o$12bo11bo$11b2o3$2ob2o$2obo$3bo$3b3o4b2o$b2o3bo3b2o $o2b4o$2obo15b2o2b2o$bo2b3o12bobo2bo$bo5bo13b2o$2b5o14bo$4bo18bo$22b2o $48bo$8b2o37bobo$9bo37bobo$9bob2o35bo$10bo2bo23bo$11b2o24bo$26b2o9b3o$ 26b2o11bo4$35bo3b2o$34bobo3bo$33bobo3bo$29b2obobo3bo$29b2obo2b4obo$33b obo3bobo$29b2ob2o2bo2bobo$30bobo2b2o3bo$18b2o10bobo$18b2o11bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 8 HEIGHT 450 T 0 PAUSE 1 T 91 PAUSE 1 T 182 PAUSE 1 LOOP 270 ]] An alternative way to weld an input Snark to the syringe, reducing population count by 5 (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

The large catalyst has several variants, which may be useful depending on the context:

x = 34, y = 24, rule = B3/S23 5bobo10bo$6b2o8b3o$6bo8bo$15b2o$2o$bo$bob2o$2bo2bo23bo$3b2o24bo$18b2o 9b3o$18b2o11bo4$27bo3b2o$26bobo3bo$25bobo3bo$21b2obobo3bo$21b2obo2b4ob o$25bobo3bobo$21b2ob2o2bo2bobo$22bobo2b2o3bo$10b2o10bobo$10b2o11bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 HEIGHT 400 ]] Standard variant of the syringe catalyst, a glider synthesis is known (click above to open LifeViewer) Catagolue: here

x = 33, y = 25, rule = B3/S23 5bobo10bo$6b2o8b3o$6bo8bo$15b2o$2o$bo$bob2o$2bo2bo23bo$3b2o24bo$18b2o 9b3o$18b2o11bo5$26bo3b2o$25bobo3bo$21b2obobo3bo$21b2obo4bo$25b5obo$20b ob3o5bobo$20b2o3b3o2bobo$10b2o11b2o2bo3bo$10b2o8b3obo$20bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 HEIGHT 400 ]] Another variant with a known glider synthesis (click above to open LifeViewer) Catagolue: here

x = 32, y = 24, rule = B3/S23 5bobo10bo$6b2o8b3o$6bo8bo$15b2o$2o$bo$bob2o$2bo2bo23bo$3b2o24bo$18b2o 9b3o$18b2o11bo5$26bo3b2o$25bobo3bo$21b2obobo3bo$21b2obo4bo$25b5obo$17b 2obob2obo4b2o$17bob2obo2bob2o$10b2o12b2obob3o$10b2o19bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 HEIGHT 400 ]] A variant with more room on the output side (no known synthesis as of March 11, 2023) (click above to open LifeViewer) Catagolue: here

x = 33, y = 24, rule = B3/S23 5bobo10bo$6b2o8b3o$6bo8bo$15b2o$2o$bo$bob2o$2bo2bo23bo$3b2o24bo$18b2o 9b3o$18b2o11bo5$26bo3b2o$25bobo3bo$21b2obobo3bo$21b2obo4bo$25b5obo$17b 2obob2obo4bobo$17bob2obo2bob2o2bo$10b2o12b2obob2o$10b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 ZOOM 10 HEIGHT 400 ]] A slightly different variant (no known synthesis as of March 11, 2023) (click above to open LifeViewer) Catagolue: here

Glider-releasing mechanism

If the non-transparent block is removed, a stray beehive will be left while still giving the output Herschel. In April 2019, Tanner Jacobi found that a dot sparker can perturb the reaction to give a glider instead; this has since been used to construct many glider guns.

x = 230, y = 67, rule = B3/S23 20bo59bo59bo59bo$21bo59bo59bo59bo$19b3o57b3o57b3o57b3o$34bo59bo59bo59b o$32b3o57b3o57b3o57b3o$31bo59bo59bo59bo$31b2o58b2o58b2o58b2o$16b2o58b 2o58b2o58b2o$17bo59bo59bo59bo$17bob2o56bob2o56bob2o56bob2o$18bo2bo23bo 32bo2bo23bo32bo2bo23bo32bo2bo23bo$19b2o24bo33b2o24bo33b2o24bo33b2o24bo $34b2o9b3o46b2o9b3o46b2o9b3o46b2o9b3o$34b2o11bo46b2o11bo46b2o11bo46b2o 11bo$76b2o$17bo58bobo$16bobo60bo119bo$16bobo24bo3b2o28b2obo22bo3b2o54b o3b2o29bobo22bo3b2o$13b2obob2o22bobo3bo23b2o2bo3bo21bobo3bo53bobo3bo 29bobo21bobo3bo$12bobobo5bo18bobo3bo24b2o2bo3b2o19bobo3bo53bobo3bo27b 2obob2o19bobo3bo$11bo3bob4o2bo13b2obobo3bo29bo5bo14b2obobo3bo34b2o14b 2obobo3bo28bo2bo18b2obobo3bo$10bo3b3o2bo2b2o13b2obo2b4obo30bob2o14b2ob o2b4obo32bobo13b2obo2b4obo28bobob2o14b2obo2b4obo$11b2obo2b3o2b2o17bobo 3bobo26bo5bo18bobo3bobo32b3o16bobo3bobo26b2obo2bo18bobo3bobo$14bo3b2o 2bo14b2ob2o2bo2bobo22b2o2bo3b2o15b2ob2o2bo2bobo33b2o12b2ob2o2bo2bobo 27bo3bobo13b2ob2o2bo2bobo$14b2ob3ob3o14bobo2b2o3bo23b2o2bo3bo17bobo2b 2o3bo32bobo14bobo2b2o3bo28bobobob2o13bobo2b2o3bo$12b2obobobobo2bo13bob o36b2obo17bobo35b2o2bobo15bobo37b2obobobo12bobo$12b2obo2bo3b2obo13bo 39bo19bo36bobo2bo17bo40bo2bob3o11bo$15bo3b3o3bo50bobo58b4o59bobo5bo$ 15b2o4bo3b2o49b2o60b2o61bo5b2o12$20bo59bo59bo59bo$21bo59bo59bo59bo$19b 3o57b3o57b3o57b3o$34bo59bo59bo59bo$32b3o57b3o57b3o57b3o$31bo59bo59bo 59bo$31b2o58b2o58b2o58b2o$16b2o58b2o58b2o58b2o$17bo59bo59bo59bo$17bob 2o56bob2o56bob2o56bob2o$18bo2bo23bo32bo2bo23bo32bo2bo23bo32bo2bo23bo$ 5b2o2b2o8b2o24bo33b2o24bo33b2o24bo33b2o24bo$3b3obo2bo23b2o9b3o46b2o9b 3o26b2o18b2o9b3o46b2o9b3o$2bo4b3o24b2o11bo22b2o22b2o11bo27bo18b2o11bo 18b2o4b2ob2o17b2o11bo$3bob2o3b3o56bobo63bob2o48bo4bob2obo$3b2o2bobo2bo 3b2o51bo7b2o57b2obo47bob2obo4bo$5b3obo2bobo2bo52b4o3bo60bo46b2o2bobob 4ob2o$3bo4bob2ob4o26bo3b2o19bobo3bo4bo23bo3b2o29bo24bo3b2o17bobo2bobo 2bo3bo22bo3b2o$3b4obo3bo4b3o22bobo3bo18bobo3bo4b2o22bobo3bo29b2o22bobo 3bo16bo2bob2o2b3obobo21bobo3bo$b2o4bob3obo3b2o2bo19bobo3bo19bo5bob2o3b 2o19bobo3bo28bobob2o19bobo3bo18b2o3bo2b2o4b2o19bobo3bo$bo2bo2bo3bobobo 2bo2b3o13b2obobo3bo17b2ob2o4bo4b2o2bo14b2obobo3bo27b3o6bo13b2obobo3bo 21b2o4b2ob2o3bo14b2obobo3bo$3bobob2obo2bob3o4b2o13b2obo2b4obo15bo2bobo 3bo2bob2ob2o14b2obo2b4obo24bo3bobobobo13b2obo2b4obo19bo5bo4bob2o14b2ob o2b4obo$2obobo4b6obo2bob2o17bobo3bobo15bobob2o2bo4b2o2bo18bobo3bobo24b 2obobo3bo17bobo3bobo19bo5b4o3bo18bobo3bobo$3bob4o4bobobob2obo14b2ob2o 2bo2bobo14b2o2bo2bobob2o3b2o15b2ob2o2bo2bobo26bobob2o15b2ob2o2bo2bobo 18b2o8bob2o15b2ob2o2bo2bobo$bo20bo15bobo2b2o3bo17bobo2b2obo3b2o18bobo 2b2o3bo27bobo19bobo2b2o3bo26b2obobo17bobo2b2o3bo$2bob3obobob3o2b2obobo 15bobo25b2o6bob2o2b4o14bobo36b2o19bobo34b2obobo17bobo$6bobobo6b2obobo 16bo34b2obo2bo2bo15bo59bo39bo19bo! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 4 WIDTH 1000 HEIGHT 500 ]]

Syringe glider extraction at p4, p5, p6 and p7. First row optimizes west; second row optimizes south (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

See also

• Snark
• Herschel receiver
• Herschel transmitter

External links

• Syringe at the Life Lexicon
• xs66_o4owck0oe1e8y533z0pk319la43033zyaoozyo2552sgzybc453 at Adam P. Goucher's Catagolue
• xs68_yco4q23zyd1z033zyaooy131e8z1no3t0mmzw470vg252zw25520123 at Adam P. Goucher's Catagolue