Using Extremophile Behavior to Identify Biological Targets of Opportunity

A novel way of extracting cellular automaton rules from a single automaton state is presented. The method, with minimal computation and storage, can be used to estimate rules to within approximately 5% on the class of density well cellular automata. Application of this method to image processing in the context of the search for life is then discussed. In particular the use of cellular automata as a potential universal bio-detector is then possible, permitting the method to be used as a pre-screening step to optimize testing sites for chemical tests, as well as identifying targets of opportunity from robotic exploration module's cameras.