A chemical device that given certain atomic or molecular inputs (starting materials) can output a specific molecular structure or aggregation. A combination of microfluidic devices with single molecule (or single assembly) detectors should be able to result in an assembler that could assemble materials with large scale molecular precision (analogous to large scale integration from electronics). Such bottom-up materials might allow unprecedented computational abilities, strength, and other emergent properties still being studied by nanoscientists. Alias: Lab-on-a-chip.
"A molecular machine that can be programmed to build virtually any molecular structure or device from simpler chemical building blocks. Analogous to a computer-driven machine shop."
Engines of Creation
"A computer program that is used to assemble. Synonym: assembly program."
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