SRCA is a Cellular Automata (CA) Java application that implements some complex CA rules that give rise to self reproducing and evolving patterns. This application improves upon my original 'Self Reproducing Cellular Automata Loops' applet, with a better user interface, more functionality and more rules. The original applet is still available here if for some reason you cannot run SRCA. Please note that at present it is not possible to write your own CA rules for SRCA, but you can load/edit/save patterns and change some of optional parameter values on the existing rules. Moreover, SRCA is highly specialized in order to run certain types of rule well. See introduction for more details. I welcome any comments you may have on SRCA and related issues - see bottom of page for contact details.

The image below is a screen shot of SRCA taken after running the SRL(8) rule on the default starting pattern for the indicated number of clock ticks.

The two single loops that comprise the initial starting pattern have replicated and evolved into several colonies of different loop types, each competing for space. Basically this is a simulation of a very simple artificial universe in which self-replicating patterns grow, produce children, and eventually die.

These self-reproducing patterns can be thought of as artificial primitive life forms. Initially the universe contains one or more loops (depending upon universe size). Each loop is a wire around which signals propagate. These signals are instructions for growing a child wire loop. Once a child loop has been grown, the signals from the parent loop are copied into it and it is then detached from the parent. The child then becomes a parent by growing its own children. As signals propagate along the wires there is a small possibility of corruption, causing mutant children and thus enabling gradual evolution of the wire loops into different shapes and sizes (and sometimes other transient structures). Wires have a finite lifetime, after which they decay into nothing.

This behaviour is analogous to our own biological cells in the sense that the wire signals correspond to our cell DNA, defining how to construct a cell, although our cells multiply by splitting rather than growing child cells from scratch as here.

See download for application requirements, installation instructions and to download the application.

See usage for information on running and using the application.