Self organizing systems
Walter Derzko
Director Idea Lab
wderzko@pathcom.com
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ARCHITECTURAL PRINCIPLES IN SELF-ASSEMBLY SYSTEMS
In general, a self-assembly system is any system that spontaneously tends
to organize itself in a specific manner, the organization essentially a
movement of the system to a lower overall energy state. Liquid crystals,
for example, are self-assembly systems. The term "tensegrity" refers to a
system that stabilizes itself mechanically as a result of the distribution
of tensional and compressive forces, and it is possible to study many
varied structures with a focus on such distributions. The emphasis is thus
on form rather than process, and in those systems where form (or
architecture) is an important characteristic, such an emphasis can have
heuristic value.
D. Ingber (Harvard Univ., US), in a review of natural design principles in
organic structures, suggests that tensegrity may be involved in a wide
variety of self-assembly systems, including carbon atoms, water molecules,
proteins, viruses, cells, tissues, and whole animals including humans. QY:
Donald E. Ingber, Harvard Univ. Medical School, Dept. of Pathology
617-432-1550
(Scientific American January 1998)
--"Walter Derzko @ Idea Lab" <wderzko@pathcom.com>
Learning-org -- Hosted by Rick Karash <rkarash@karash.com> Public Dialog on Learning Organizations -- <http://www.learning-org.com>