word
cellular automaton
SEL-yoo-ler aw-TOM-ah-ton
/ˈsɛljʊlər ɔːˈtɒmətɒn/Listen
Hear it in a clear American voice. Slow it down to catch each syllable.
Syllable breakdown
cellularautomaton
Dictionary meaning
A discrete model of computation consisting of a grid of cells, each in a finite number of states, that evolve simultaneously according to fixed local rules based on neighbouring cells' states; complex global patterns can emerge from simple rules; John Conway's Game of Life is the most famous example
History and origin
Invented by Stanislaw Ulam and John von Neumann in the 1940s; extended by Stephen Wolfram's systematic study in the 1980s-2000s; plural: cellular automata
Examples
- A cellular automaton with just two states (on/off) and simple rules can generate patterns of unlimited complexity.
- Stephen Wolfram proposed in 'A New Kind of Science' that the universe itself might be a cellular automaton.
Synonyms: CA, cellular automata (plural), Game of Life (specific)
Common mispronunciations
Saying aw-TOH-mah-ton; stress falls on the second syllable 'tom'
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