AUTO: An Automation Simulator.
Abstract:
The objective of this research was to devise an aid for the teaching of formal languages and automata theory. The system developed allows the student to design, test, and change automata in an interactive manner. This process permits the user to observe the step by step operation of a defined automaton and if desired, to correct or alter its operation. This eliminates the need for lengthy and tedious hand simulations. AUTO An Automaton Simulator, can simulate the operation of deterministic and nondeterministic finite automata, pushdown automata, Turing machines, and procedural Turing machines. As the system is capable of simulating several different types of automata with only one interface, it eliminates the duplication of effort required by separate simulations of each type of automata. Author