DigitalOrganism

DigitalOrganism is an interactive, visually captivating cellular automaton simulation that explores the fascinating world of emergent patterns and complexity. This project, inspired by Multiple Neighborhood Cellular Automata (MNCA), offers a unique playground for designers, researchers, and enthusiasts in the fields of generative art, computational design, and complex systems.

Features

• Real-time cellular automaton simulation
• Interactive mouse-driven input
• Multiple rulesets for diverse pattern generation
• Customizable parameters for experimentation

How It Works

DigitalOrganism uses a grid of cells that evolve based on the states of their neighbors. The simulation considers two neighborhoods for each cell:

1. A closer neighborhood (hood0)
2. A more extended neighborhood (hood1)

The evolution rules are defined by the conditions object, which determines the next state of each cell based on its current state and the states of its neighbors.

Customization

The code is designed to be easily customizable, allowing you to experiment with different rulesets, visual styles, and interactions. Here are some ways you can modify the project:

1. Rulesets: Adjust the conditions object in sketch.js to create new cellular automaton rules.
2. Grid Size: Modify the GRID_SIZE constant to change the resolution of the simulation.
3. Brush Behavior: Alter the handleMouseInput() function to change how user input affects the cells.
4. Color Schemes: Update the cell rendering in updateCells() to experiment with different color patterns.
5. Neighborhoods: Modify calculateHood0() and calculateHood1() to explore different neighborhood configurations.

Inspiration and Further Exploration

This project draws inspiration from the work of Slackermanz on Multiple Neighborhood Cellular Automata. To dive deeper into the subject, consider exploring:

• Cellular automaton theory
• Complexity science
• Generative art techniques
• Computational aesthetics

By experimenting with DigitalOrganism, you can gain insights into how simple rules can lead to complex, emergent behaviors—a fundamental concept in both design and natural systems.

Get Started

Open index.html in a modern web browser to run the simulation. Click and drag on the canvas to interact with the cells and observe how patterns evolve over time.

Happy exploring!