Kinematic Self-Replicating Machines (KSRM), the book co-authored by Robert A. Freitas Jr. and Ralph C. Merkle, was published on paper in 2004, but the book is now freely accessible online . With 200+ illustrations and 3200+ literature references, KSRM describes all proposed and experimentally realized self-replicating systems that were publicly known as of 2004, ranging from nanoscale to macroscale systems. The book extensively describes the historical development of the field. It presents for the first time a detailed 137-dimensional map of the entire kinematic replicator design space to assist future engineering efforts. KSRM has been cited in two articles appearing in Nature this year [Zykov et al, Nature 435, 163 (12 May 2005) and Griffith et al, Nature 437, 636 (29 September 2005)] and appears well on its way to becoming the classic reference in this field.
Co-author Ralph Merkle will touch on this topic in his presentation at the upcoming Foresight Vision Weekend.
