1. plural of automaton; machines or robots designed to operate independently or perform tasks without human control
Usage: plural form; singular is automaton; commonly used in computer science and robotics
2. in computer science and mathematics, abstract computational models that process input and change states according to defined rules
Usage: technical term; used in formal language theory and computation

Examples

• The museum displayed ancient automata that could move and perform simple actions.
• Engineers designed automata to assemble car parts on the factory floor.
• In computer science, finite automata are used to recognize patterns in text.
• The toy shop sold wind-up automata that danced when activated.
• Researchers study cellular automata to model complex systems in nature.
• Medieval craftsmen created intricate automata for entertainment and display.