Publications Details
Self organizing software research : LDRD final report
We have made progress in developing a new statistical mechanics approach to designing self organizing systems that is unique to SNL. The primary application target for this ongoing research has been the development of new kinds of nanoscale components and hardware systems. However, this research also enables an out of the box connection to the field of software development. With appropriate modification, the collective behavior physics ideas for enabling simple hardware components to self organize may also provide design methods for a new class of software modules. Our current physics simulations suggest that populations of these special software components would be able to self assemble into a variety of much larger and more complex software systems. If successful, this would provide a radical (disruptive technology) path to developing complex, high reliability software unlike any known today. This high risk, high payoff opportunity does not fit well into existing SNL funding categories, as it is well outside of the mainstreams of both conventional software development practices and the nanoscience research area that spawned it. This LDRD effort was aimed at developing and extending the capabilities of self organizing/assembling software systems, and to demonstrate the unique capabilities and advantages of this radical new approach for software development.