arXiv subjects

Eric Martinez

Publications and source records attributed to Eric Martinez.

3 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2016

Optimal Staged Self-Assembly of General Shapes

We analyze the number of tile types $t$, bins $b$, and stages necessary to assemble $n \times n$ squares and scaled shapes in the staged tile assembly model. For $n \times n$ squares, we prove $\mathcal{O}(\frac{\log{n} - tb - t\log t}{b^2} + \frac{\log \log b}{\log t})$ stages suffice and $Ω(\frac{\log{n} - tb - t\log t}{b^2})$ are necessary for almost all $n$. For shapes $S$ with Kolmogorov complexity $K(S)$, we prove $\mathcal{O}(\frac{K(S) - tb - t\log t}{b^2} + \frac{\log \log b}{\log t})$ stages suffice and $Ω(\frac{K(S) - tb - t\log t}{b^2})$ are necessary to assemble a scaled version of $S$, for almost all $S$. We obtain similarly tight bounds when the more powerful flexible glues are permitted.

cs.CG↗

arXiv2016

Universal Shape Replicators via Self-Assembly with Attractive and Repulsive Forces

We show how to design a universal shape replicator in a self-assembly system with both attractive and repulsive forces. More precisely, we show that there is a universal set of constant-size objects that, when added to any unknown hole-free polyomino shape, produces an unbounded number of copies of that shape (plus constant-size garbage objects). The constant-size objects can be easily constructed from a constant number of individual tile types using a constant number of preprocessing self-assembly steps. Our construction uses the well-studied 2-Handed Assembly Model (2HAM) of tile self-assembly, in the simple model where glues interact only with identical glues, allowing glue strengths that are either positive (attractive) or negative (repulsive), and constant temperature (required glue strength for parts to hold together). We also require that the given shape has specified glue types on its surface, and that the feature size (smallest distance between nonincident edges) is bounded below by a constant. Shape replication necessarily requires a self-assembly model where parts can both attach and detach, and this construction is the first to do so using the natural model of negative/repulsive glues (also studied before for other problems such as fuel-efficient computation); previous replication constructions require more powerful global operations such as an "enzyme" that destroys a subset of the tile types.

cs.CG↗

arXiv2016

Concentration Independent Random Number Generation in Tile Self-Assembly

In this paper we introduce the \emph{robust random number generation} problem where the goal is to design an abstract tile assembly system (aTAM system) whose terminal assemblies can be split into $n$ partitions such that a resulting assembly of the system lies within each partition with probability 1/$n$, regardless of the relative concentration assignment of the tile types in the system. First, we show this is possible for $n=2$ (a \emph{robust fair coin flip}) within the aTAM, and that such systems guarantee a worst case $\mathcal{O}(1)$ space usage. We accompany our primary construction with variants that show trade-offs in space complexity, initial seed size, temperature, tile complexity, bias, and extensibility, and also prove some negative results. As an application, we combine our coin-flip system with a result of Chandran, Gopalkrishnan, and Reif to show that for any positive integer $n$, there exists a $\mathcal{O}(\log n)$ tile system that assembles a constant-width linear assembly of expected length $n$ for any concentration assignment. We then extend our robust fair coin flip result to solve the problem of robust random number generation in the aTAM for all $n$. Two variants of robust random bit generation solutions are presented: an unbounded space solution and a bounded space solution which incurs a small bias. Further, we consider the harder scenario where tile concentrations change arbitrarily at each assembly step and show that while this is not possible in the aTAM, the problem can be solved by exotic tile assembly models from the literature.

cs.FL↗