1. Greshenfeld could be the most brilliant mechanical engineering mind of the century. FAB establishes a tangible base for creating the thinking machine. The word "thinking" does seem out of context, for the current computing theoretical models. The degree of infinite complexity associated with conscious thought makes thinking replacable by the phrase, "mechanical reasoning". There still remains a huge chasm between inanimate reality and animated reality. A silicon pattern can not be expected to create beautiful art, design aesthically pleasing architecture, or make one laugh.
2. Logic process, sequence of assembly, and the ability create 3D shapes from 2D shapes or digitally assembling material into shape (3D printer) suggests a possible emerging of smart machines. Machines capable of expanding their logic and functionality. Machines capable of building other machines. FAB encapsulated laser device, subtractive manufacturing (etching knife) (creating circuit board - micro controllers), a drill for milling, additive device (assembling 3D objects bit by bit). Boolean logic, A/D, resistors, capacitors, and programmable language connected external patterns stored as bits into physical mechanic devices capable of movement, logic deduction, memory storage and recall, and shape. Turing, Von Neumann, and Babbage established the computer theory of the modern computer. Circuits replaced gears turning attempting to mechanically produce answers. The mechanical engineering of logic became an integrated circuit of 1s and 0s, diodes to change alternating currents to direct currents, resistors to reduce down the volume of electric flow.
3. However, the side affect of building a thinking machine was to create a lab where logic and form could be build cheaply. The quality and cost would be immediately attractive and recognized by communities all over the world. These communities wanted form and logic devices to solve problems. Average people with innovative drive using the FAB lab too build machines and devices with functionality for fertilizing crops, getting feedback from pet birds, generating solar energy, building vehicles, measuring milk fat content, and satellite cable networking.
4. Greshenfeld unleashed a tremendous innovative power equal to the printing press. FAB may become the most important invention of the next generation.
5. Just like when Einstein published how photons worked "light" began to changed the world: fiber optics, lasers, communication, and weapons of mass destruction. Greshenfeld vision will build a world of machines, machines and energy consumption will perform services, and man will call this achievement virtuous.
6. Greshenfeld book demonstrates stories of hope and innovation as the grass roots of society use the FAB labs to solve problems cheaply. However, Greshenfeld goal was not to solve the world problems, he was working on creating a thinking machine or probably more correctly stated a mechanically reasoning device with logic for vision, 3D manipulation, movement, decision making, and adaptation. Such a machine would need the ability to build components and use these components to build additional logic and structure. Similar to the way cell automation adapts, builds structures from components, and creates higher utility systems. For example, a organ provides more usefulness than a cluster of cells. FAB benefits from the higher utility aspect of Greshenfeld's vision: instantaneous ideas to production for consumer prototypes, 2D assembles providing 3D functionality, combinations of circuit logic to control motor, circuit logic to measure, circuit logic to display human readable symbols, additive and subtractive process for transform natural resources into desired forms.
7. The FAB concept allows machines to repair themselves, add new functionality to their form, and adapt to different logic and forms through experience. The MIT magnetic example was huge break through. It demonstrated that a machine could build a pattern name the word MIT using magnetic bars. A machine capable of using logic controllers assemble magnetic bars into a recognizable pattern. It is possible that another machine could recognized the pattern visually using circuit logic, mathematic algorithms controlling the threshold logic, and synthesize the word MIT just like a human being is capable of. The smaller the components Fabricated, the more sophisticated the assembly, and the more complex the logic capacity and the more complex the logic capacity, the more acceptance of a machine performing heuristic pattern recognition like a human, the Turing test.
8. DNA and FAB. FAB is learning from the DNA assembly process. DNA is a like a wadded up ball of string. The string is so long that it must be wrapped in 23 different structures called chromosomes. For example in E. Coli, DNA tells the cell to make a 1,000 or so enzymes needed for the cell to survive. A gene is a section of DNA, a template used to form an enzyme. The enzymes form 20 different amino acids, strung together in a specific order. DNA elemental components are Adenine (A), Cytosine (C), Guanine (G), and Tymine (T). A matches to T and C to G. The codons are a grouping of three sugars attached with the amino acid. RNA polymerase enzyme attaches to a DNA strand, walks down the DNA creating a messenger RNA (mRNA) strand, the strand floats around until it finds a ribosome, the ribosome attaches to the mRNA walks down the mRNA forming Amino Acid Chains, here how. Two codons, at a time can be attached to the mRNA matching according to sugar match laws. When the third codon arrives the last codon is pushed off the mRNA and the amino acid detaches and is inserted into the amino acid chain. Once the Ribosome has finished walking down the mRNA the amino acid chain folds into enzyme characteristic shape. The enzyme then is used for protein assembly and cell survival. Mechanical assemble verses biological assemble are a universe apart. Brilliant minds will be required to bridge the chasm.