Dictionary.net

(CA, plural "- automata") A regularspatial lattice of "cells", each of which can have any one ofa finite number of states. The state of all cells in thelattice are updated simultaneously and the state of the entirelattice advances in discrete time steps. The state of eachcell in the lattice is updated according to a local rule whichmay depend on the state of the cell and its neighbors at theprevious time step.Each cell in a cellular automaton could be considered to be afinite state machine which takes its neighbours' states asinput and outputs its own state.The best known example is J.H. Conway's game of Life.FAQ(http://alife.santafe.edu/alife/topics/cas/ca-faq/ca-faq.html).Usenet newsgroups: news:comp.theory.cell-automata,news:comp.theory.self-org-sys.