Self-Assembling Structures.

Self-Assembling Structures Open Door to New Class of Materials

ScienceDaily (Jan. 15, 2011) — Researchers at the University of Illinois and Northwestern University have demonstrated bio-inspired structures that self-assemble from simple building blocks: spheres.

The helical "supermolecules" are made of tiny colloid balls instead of atoms or molecules. Similar methods could be used to make new materials with the functionality of complex colloidal molecules. The team publishes its findings in the Jan. 14 issue of the journal Science.

Better processors, better materials to hold charges, better buildings in general.

The point is, self assembling structures can be scaled and used for nearly any application where fast manufacturing is required, all you'd need is a base code to instruct materials how and what to build.

These are certainly interesting times.

"We design these smart materials to fall into useful shapes that nature wouldn't choose," Granick said

Indeed. Such technology could also be used to find supportable shapes in architecture leading to a design renaissance the likes of which has never been seen on Earth before. Combined with the prospect of self-replicating nano-materials and we could forever revolutionize the way we build, what we build and where we build.

I wonder if this is something that China has already discovered? I know they came out with a processor that crushes our current models, and we still aren't sure how. I know that they have stealth technology that is one part Bill Clinton, one part unknown. I know that they are way ahead of us technologically in almost every way.

This is outstanding news, S+F.

Pretty cool. Along the same lines as Claytronics.

Just think though, not only self building but self repairing as well. If you can have a structure to self build it would be possible to self repair.
Also i would expect to see these types of buildings to be cheaper. Little or no labour and matainence costs for one thing.
Maybe one day, we will all be able to design and build whatever we want, when we want and where we want with little enviromental impact.
Unfortunately, it will probably be after i'm dead but this is certainly good news for future generations.