Cellauto is short for Cellular Automaton. This program generates a Cellular Automaton named Game of Life, invented by John Conway in the 1970's.

When you launch the app, you will see a bunch of multi-colored Cells stitched together with white Bones. The app will either start with the cells completely random all over the screen, or random but clumped in the middle, or in one of dozens of specific organized patterns.

Those cells will die and reproduce just like living cells do. They will also clump together and form multicellular creatures, just like living cells do. Those creatures can sometimes move about the screen, fight with each other, or eat each other.

The results of this formula show that a very simple process, done repeatedly, can result in highly complex and diverse organized systems evolving out of total chaos. In a way, it's a mathematical proof of the biological process of evolution!

INSTRUCTIONS

There is a Toolbar on the bottom edge of the screen. It disapears if it's unused, so you have a full screen view. You can also dismiss it by tapping anywhare on the screen. To get the Toolbar back, rotate the device a bit.

With the Toolbar hidden, you can double tap the screen to zoom in to an area. Double tap again to zoom back to normal. When you are zoomed in, you can pan around by stroking the screen.

When you are viewing the area at regular size, stroking the screen creates a path of new life forms. If you are paused, it will place single cells. If it's playing, it will place small multicellular creatures.

Touch the pause button to pause the automation, touch it again to resume play. When paused, you can touch the step forward button to go one frame at a time, or the camera button to save the picture to your Photo Album. If you are zoomed in, the whole contents of the field is saved, not just the area you see onscreen.

SETTINGS

You can change program options from the iPhone's Settings icon, located on the first page of your Springboard.