Multi-head finite automata: Characterizations, concepts and open problems

M Holzer, M Kutrib, A Malcher - arXiv preprint arXiv:0906.3051, 2009 - arxiv.org
M Holzer, M Kutrib, A Malcher
arXiv preprint arXiv:0906.3051, 2009arxiv.org
Multi-head finite automata were introduced in (Rabin, 1964) and (Rosenberg, 1966). Since
that time, a vast literature on computational and descriptional complexity issues on multi-
head finite automata documenting the importance of these devices has been developed.
Although multi-head finite automata are a simple concept, their computational behavior can
be already very complex and leads to undecidable or even non-semi-decidable problems
on these devices such as, for example, emptiness, finiteness, universality, equivalence, etc …
Multi-head finite automata were introduced in (Rabin, 1964) and (Rosenberg, 1966). Since that time, a vast literature on computational and descriptional complexity issues on multi-head finite automata documenting the importance of these devices has been developed. Although multi-head finite automata are a simple concept, their computational behavior can be already very complex and leads to undecidable or even non-semi-decidable problems on these devices such as, for example, emptiness, finiteness, universality, equivalence, etc. These strong negative results trigger the study of subclasses and alternative characterizations of multi-head finite automata for a better understanding of the nature of non-recursive trade-offs and, thus, the borderline between decidable and undecidable problems. In the present paper, we tour a fragment of this literature.
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