| New in June 2004: A new version of EdgeOfChaos is available that can use file and save images (when run as an application). The new version requires Java 1.4 or higher. See Page 7 of this site for more information. |
A computer follows rules. At each moment, the rules determine exactly what the computer will do next. We say that a computer is an example of an automaton. Other, simpler examples of automata also exist. (Automata is the plural of automaton.) These more abstract rule-following devices can be easier to study computers, and they can be interesting to study in their own right. One type of automaton that has received a lot of attention is cellular automata. For one thing, they make pretty pictures. For another, they are related to exciting new ideas such as artificial life and the edge of chaos. Here is a fairly simple example:
If you would like to learn more about cellualr automata, here are some pages of information and Java applets that you can look at. (The most interesting things here are the applet on page 6, and the newer version of the same applet on page 7, which can make some awfully nice pictures, such as this one (117 kilobytes).)
The source code for the applets used on these pages is available here:
