Project Archetype was an illegal project commissioned by Devlin Medical Technologies to one of its divisions known as Stanton Research with the purpose of using the Nanite technology they were given by the government. It was headed by Dr. Richard Poole.
Overview[]

The Replicator coming online.
The Replicator units created as part of the project emitted a unique energy signature that allowed them to be tracked until they became aware of this and began masking their signal. Furthermore, the nanite replication technology required shipments of Neutronium to be shipped to the facility in order to add in the construction of more nanites. It was stated that the purpose of the project was to create military model Replicators which would be sold to an unknown buyer. (SGA: "Outcast")
History[]

Richard Poole and his assistant Ava getting Project Archetype ready.
The purpose of the experiment was the study of the Nanite programming in order to increase the complexity of the nanite interactions. The project would eventually use the nanite programming to create building blocks for a self-sustaining entity. In essence, the Human researchers managed to create a Human-form Replicator though the term was somewhat inaccurate as the replication programming was removed which meant that the mechanical units possessed a limited capacity to repair themselves. This meant that projectile weapons were capable of harming the units, however, they were impervious to the Anti-Replicator gun.
Two Human-form Replicators were created as part of the project. One was female in appearance and based upon Ava Dixon, a colleague of the Dr. Richard Poole, who died in a car accident a year before. This unit was capable of perfectly emulating Human behavior as social interaction and served as the Poole's personal assistant. The second unit was male in appearance and possessed more military based programming but was set in a defensive mode which meant it would not act unless its existence was threatened.
In 2008, the male unit went out of control when Poole attempted to shut it down in order to escape the investigations of the International Oversight Advisory which highlighted the existence of the project to Lt. Colonel John Sheppard when the Replicator Ava Dixon approached him to ask for his help. Eventually the male unit was destroyed by being beamed into Earth's atmosphere by the Apollo and Ava had her body destroyed and her mind uploaded into a virtual reality. (SGA: "Outcast")