Integrating Forms of Interaction in a Distributed Model

The main aim of this paper is to present the formal description of the Multilayered Reaction-Diffusion Machine (MRDM, an extension of a previously introduced RDM, Reaction-Diffusion Machine) which can be seen as a generalization of Cellular Automata since it relaxes some constraints on uniformity, locality and closure. The MRDM offers a formal and computational environment where to describe, represent and simulate coordination models which explicitly require spatial features to be considered and integrates different forms of interaction. The paper is divided into two main parts. In the first one, the formal description of the MRDM is presented. In the second part the MRDM is put in relation with deterministic Turing machines; moreover we show how the MRDM, under determined constraints, collapses on a traditional CA.