Von Neumann cellular automata are the original expression of cellular automata, the development of which were prompted by suggestions made to John von Neumann by his close friend and fellow mathematician Stanisław Ulam. Their original purpose was to provide insight into the logical requirements for machine self-replication and were used in von Neumann's universal constructor.
Nobili's cellular automaton is a variation of von Neumann's cellular automaton, augmented with the ability for confluent cells to cross signals and store information. The former requires an extra three states, hence Nobili's cellular automaton has 32 states, rather than 29. Hutton's cellular automaton is yet another variation, which allows a loop of data, analogous to Langton's loops, to replicate.
Famous quotes containing the words von and/or neumann:
“I curse all negative purism that tells me not to use a word from another language that either expresses something that my own language cannot or does that in a more delicate manner.”
—Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe (1749–1832)
“It means there are times when a mere scientist has gone as far as he can. When he must pause and observe respectfully while something infinitely greater assumes control.”
—Kurt Neumann (1906–1958)