Cellular Automata for Edge Detection: Exploring the Nature of Cellular Automata through Applications in Medical Images

There is a strong need for integrated study of both theoretical and practical aspects of cellular automata (CA). In this article we report our ongoing work of exploring the nature of CA through an experimental study, focusing on an application of CA for edge detection in medical images. Through an example we describe the algorithm developed, followed by a discussion. The main theme of this paper is to advocate a thorough analysis of the methodology in the context of natural computing. We also point out the indication of such integrated study to education.