Dynamic Miscellany : WireWorld

The rules of wireworld give the appearance of electrons moving along the wires, and interacting at components. The cells are organized in a square grid, where each cell is connected to its eight nearest neighbors. There are four possible states for each cell.

These cells can be used to construct a variety of componants, including all the basic logical operations. From the basic componants you can construct more complex circuits including all logical circuits. Theoretically you could even construct a computer using this CA, such as this one.

Rules :
background always remain background. electron head always change to electron tail. electron tail always change to wire. wire changes to electron head if EXACTLY two of its neighbours are electron heads.

Cell States:
`.` background
`+` wire
`#` electron head
`*` electron tail

Some useful information on the circuits:
`Transit`: the number of cycles it takes for a signal to propagate through the device. `IBI`: the interval between inputs, or the number of cycles the device needs between inputs so that the output is guaranteed correct. `Size`: the X and Y dimensions of the device. '`I`': indicates a circuit input. '`O`': indicates a circuit output.

Diode: A signal will pass from the input to the output.

:

..I..
.+++.
.+.+.
..I..

Transit : 3
Size : 4x5

Or gate: A signal from either input will pass through the output.

:

..I..
..+..
.+++O
..+..
..I..

Transit : 3
IBI : 3
Size : 5x5

Xor Gate: A signal from either input, but not both, will pass through the output.

..I...
.++++.
.+..+O
.++++.
..I...

Transit : 5
IBI : 3
Size : 4x3

Not Gate: If no signal arrives at the input a signal will pass out the output. If a signal arrives at the input and is properly timed to the clock pulse then no signal will pass out the output.

....I..
....+..
...+++.
....+..
...+.+O
..+....
.#.+...
.*.+...
..+....

Transit : 5
IBI : 6
Size : 7x10

And gate : A signal will pass through the output only if two signals are recieved at both inputs at the same time.

:

..I........
...+++++...
........+..
..++...+++.
.+..+...+..
.+.++++++O.
.+..+.+.+..
.+++.......
I..........

.I........
..+.......
.++++.....
.+..+++...
.++++..+..
..+...+++.
.I.+...+..
...+..+.O.
....+.+...
.....+....

.I.....
..+....
.+++...
..+....
I+.+...
.+..+..
.+.+++.
.+..+..
..++.O.

Transit: 9
IBI: 8
Size: 13x10

Transit: 9
IBI: 5
Size: 10x11

Transit: 7
IBI: 5
Size: 7x9

Nand gate: A signal will be emitted at the output unless a signal is recieved at each input.

.....+.....
....+.+....
....+.*....
.....#.....
....+.+....
.+.+...+.+.
I++..+..++I
.+.+++++.+.
.....O.....

...*#++....
..+....+...
...++.*....
.....#.....
....+.+....
.+.+...+.+.
I++..+..++I
.+.+++++.+.
.....O.....

Transit: 6
IBI: 6
Size: 11x10

Transit: 6
IBI: 5
Size: 11x10

Clock: This componant generates a periodic signal that can be used to clock or power a circuit. This is also referred to as a pulser. Its can easily be modified by changing the size of the loop.

..+++.+O
.+...+..
.+...+..
.+...+..
..*#+...

Wire Cross: These circuit sallow two signals to cross paths. Many variations exist.

..............
.....++.+.....
.+++++.++O....
I....++.+.....
........+.....
I....++.+.+...
.+..++.+++.+..
.+.+.++.+..+..
.+.+......+...
.+..++...+..O.
.+....+.+...+.
..++++...+++..
..............

 
............
..++..+.....
.I+.+++O....
..++..+.....
.....+++++..
....+.+...+.
...+.....+..
..+.+...+...
..+++...+...
...+...+++..
..+....+.+..
.+......+...
..+++.+.+...
.....+++....
..++..+.....
.I+.+++O....
..++..+.....
............

Transit: (left) 22 (right) 19 IBI: (left) 22 (right) 24 Size: (left) 14x13 (right) 12x18

...........
.....++....
.++.+..+...
I+.+++..++.
.++.+....+O
.....++.++.
......++...
.....++.++.
.++.+....+O
I+.+++..++.
.++.+..+...
.....++....
...........

 
..............
.....++.++....
.++.+..++.+...
I+.+++..++.++.
.++.+.......+O
.....++.++.++.
......+++.+...
.....++.++.++.
.++.+.......+O
I+.+++..++.++.
.++.+..++.+...
.....++.++....
..............

Transit: (left) 10 (right) 13 IBI: (left) 19 (right) 13 Size: (left) 11x13 (right) 14x13

....O.....O....
...+++...+++...
...+.+...+.+...
..++.++.++.++..
.+.+++.+.+++.+.
.+.....+.....+.
.+....+++....+.
..+...+.+...+..
...+.++.++.+...
....I.+++.I....

...........
.....++....
....+..+...
...+..++++.
.I+...+..+O
..+...++++.
.++++..+...
.+..+++....
.++++..+...
..+...++++.
.I+...+..+O
...+..++++.
....+..+...
.....++....
...........

Transit: 9 IBI: 5 Size: 11x15

Memory: A circuit for storing a signal for later use.
The left input switches the memory element to on.
The top input switches the memory element to off.

...I.....
...+.....
..+++....
...+.....
..+.+....
..+.+....
I+++.+++O
..+......
.........

Flip-Flop: This circuit toggles its output from off to on or from on to off whenever an input is recieved.

...O.........
...+...+++...
...+.+++.++..
....+..+.+.+.
...+++.+++.+.
...+.+..+..+.
..++.+++..+..
.+.+++...+...
.+......+....
..++++++.....
.......I.....

Transit: 14 IBI: 5

Negative going edge-triggered flip flop: Using this
circuit, you can construct counters, dividers and things- though the
Transit time does pose a bit of a problem...

...O.........
...+...+++...
...+.+++.++..
....+..+.+.+.
...+++.+++.+.
...+.+..+..+.
..++.+++..+..
.+.+++...+...
.+......+....
..++++++.....
.......+.+...
........+++..
.....+++.+.+.
....+......+.
.....+++++++.
...........I.

Transit: 21 (measured from entry of a 'missing' electron) IBI: 5 Size: 16x13