6.3 Survey of ICT applications of ECCells

The ICT applications of ECCells begin with an investigation of their possible functionalization for information processing tasks in immersed chemical processing applications associated with informational molecules. These may involve core functionality associated with one or more of the three core subsystems necessary for the cells or additional functionality associated with their generic synthetic and information processing abilities. ECCells have a broad range of potential functions as molecular information units. A detailed survey of applications will be conducted as part of WP6. Here are just a few items indicating the need for an extended survey of ICT applications of ECCells and their component subsystems, separately or as networks: 

1) as molecular thyristors: molecular input, amplified molecular output

2) as intelligent molecular mobility control units

3) as active self-assembly-controller units

4) as evolvable units in component and device production

5) as integrating entities for encapsulation and release chemistry

6) as components in complex (neural-like) molecular diagnostic networks

7) as method to interface and implement programmable chemistry

8) as an alternative to molecular assemblers in programmable nanoconstruction

9) as parallel arrays in combinatorial screening of complex molecular scenarios 

In connection with this survey, the chemists in the consortium will also investigate practically the various modes of integrating additional chemical functionality for information processing together with the core ECCell functionality. Since the ECCells already process their own sequence and electronic information in order to reproduce, this step does not necessarily involve awkward chemical compatibility issues.