Cellular Automata: From Black-and-White to High Gloss Color

We provide an overview of three different operating modes of cellular automata. A classical point of view is to consider cellular automata as acceptors for formal languages. As usual, these systems then act as deciders whose output is yes or no. A second point of view takes the perspective of more complex outputs. Now cellular automata not only compute a binary output, but they transform inputs into outputs, that is, they act as transducers. In the third case, cellular automata are considered that generate outputs from almost nothing, only the length of the pattern to be generated is given. A brief comparative overview of the basic capabilities in all three cases is given.