...What is an Automaton?
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Automata All Around Us
As we can tell from the example of the candy bar dispensing machine, we have learned to interact with many different kinds of automata. We often refer to them as "machines," as in "coke machine." In fact, another word for automaton is "machine." You will hear people speak or write about finite state automata as "finite state machines." Both expressions mean the same thing.
