Generating Parallel Random Number Generators by Cellular Programming

Random numbers are needed in a variety of applications, yet finding good random number generators is a difficult task. In this paper non-uniform cellular automata (CA) are studied, presenting the cellular programming algorithm for co-evolving such CAs to perform computations. The algorithm is applied to the evolution of random number generators; our results suggest that evolved generators are at least as good as previously described CAs, with notable advantages arising from the existence of a "tunable" algorithm for obtaining random number generators.