Bait

A bait object is a temporary constructed object in a signal converter or multi-stage glider synthesis, usually a small still life but occasionally an oscillator or constellation. The bait is destroyed by an incoming signal in such a way that a usable output is produced. Examples include the block in the Snark, the beehive in the 45-degree MWSS-to-G and the loaf in highway robber.

In signal converters, usually multiple output signals are created (or a signal splitter is added to the output) and one branch of the output is routed to a factory mechanism that rebuilds the bait object so that the converter can be re-used.

The original sense of the term "bait" always involved this kind of mechanism, with the active reaction moving away from the area after complete destruction of the object, and reconstruction happening as a separate step. Before the discovery of the Snark and syringe, stable reflectors and other types of detection circuitry were commonly constructed in this way, using Herschel conduits. Here's an example from 2007:

x = 106, y = 131, rule = B3/S23 18bo$16b3o$15bo$15b2o5$8b2o$8b2o9$23b2o$23bobo$25bo$25b2o$27bo$25b3o$ 24bo$24b2o6$26b2o$26b2o$2b2o$bobo$bo$2o$25bo$23b3o$14bo2bo4bo$22b2o$ 12bo6bo$15b2o$14bo2bo36b2o$15b2o36b4o$12bo6bo32b2ob2o$53b2o$14bo2bo7$ 12b2o$13bo$10b3o$10bo4$41b2o$41b2o$3b2o$4bo72b2o$4bobo15b2o54bo$5b2o 15b2o54bobo$79bobo19b2o$59bo20bo3b2o15bo$58bobo23b2o13bobo$58bo2bo33b 2o2b2o$59b2o34b2o2$48b2o$48b2o4$23b2o$23bobo$25bo$25b2o8b2o$35b2o64b2o $39b2o42b2o16bobo$38bobo41bobo18bo$38bo43bo20b2o$7b2o28b2o42b2o4b2o$6b obo41b2o33bo2bo$6bo43b2o33b2o$5b2o87b2o$94b2o$52b2o$52b2o4$15b2o$15b2o 87b2o$104bo$22bob2o76bobo$22b2obo76b2o$6b2o$7bo$7bobo46bo$8b2o44b3o27b o$53bo30b3o$24bo28b2o32bo$22b3o61b2o$21bo11bo48b2o$6bo14b2o8b3o48bo$5b obo22bo53bo$6bo23b2o51b2o6$80b2o$10b2o68b2o17b2o$9bobo87b2o$9bo$8b2o7b 2o$18bo81b2o$15b3o82bo$15bo71b2o12b3o$70b2o16bo14bo$38b2o30bo14b3o$38b o5b2o25b3o11bo$39b3obobo27bo$41bobo7b2o$42b2o7b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 4 HEIGHT 550 ]]

Stable LWSS-to-Herschel converter Produces a Herschel descendant that can feed an F116 (shown) or R64 conduit. The bait beehive is marked by non-interacting dots. (click above to open LifeViewer)

In more recent usage, the meaning of "bait" has been broadened to include any transparent catalyst that is destroyed by the arrival of a glider or another spaceship, and then restored back again -- even if the bait is re-created relatively quickly with the help of nearby catalysts, as in the example shown below.

x = 40, y = 33, rule = B3/S23 17b2ob2o$18bobo$bo11b2obo5bob2o$2bo9bobob2o3b2obobo$3o8bo6bobo6bo$11b 7o3b7o2$13b3o7b3o$12bo2bo3bo3bo2bo$12b2o4bobo4b2o$18bobo$19bo2$37bo$ 37bo$26b2o9b3o$26b2o11bo4$38bo$30b2o7bo$17b2o5b2o5bo$16bo2bo4bobob3o$ 12b2o3bobo6bobo$8b2obobo4bo7b2o$9bobo9b2o$8bo2b2o8bo$9b2o11b3o$11b2o 11bo$11bo$12bo$11b2o! #C [[ THUMBSIZE 2 THEME 6 GRID GRIDMAJOR 0 SUPPRESS THUMBLAUNCH ]] #C [[ ZOOM 10 HEIGHT 460 GPS 20 ]]

In the speed tunnel, the loaf is used as a bait object. (click above to open LifeViewer) RLE: here Plaintext: here

See also

• Transparent object

External links

• Bait at the Life Lexicon