Chapter 13 Automated Self-Assembling Programming

In this chapter we explore various facets of the interplay between natural computing and self-assembly as they pertain to automated self-assembling programming. In particular we focus on two complementary research issues, namely, the automated control and programming of model systems that self-assemble into specific configurations and, on the other hand, the use of self-assembling metaphors and model systems to implement new ways of performing computation. These "two sides of the self-assembly/computation coin" are tightly linked together, and advances in one of them could help to pave the way for advances in the other. Thus, we hope that this chapter will serve as an inspiration to other computer scientists to immerse themselves in the wealth of opportunities and problems begging for solutions [L. Adleman, Q. Cheng, A. Goel, M. Huang, D. Kempe, P. Moisset de Espanes, P.W.K. Rothemund, Combinatorial optimization problems in self-assembly, in: Proceedings of the Annual ACM Symposium on Theory of Computing (STOC), ACM Press, 2002], that self-assembly related research presents.