INTRODUCTION

The formation of Tallinn Research Group (TRG) dates back to 1969, when, as a result of acquaintance with the Russian translation of the R. Bellman collection [1], we got acquainted with the excellent works of E.F. Moore and S. Ulam contained in it, as well as with the J. Myhill`s work [2], which were played a great role in the emergence of our interest in the problems of cellular automata (CAs). In the CAs theory, J. Myhill is known for proving (along with E. Moore) the Garden of Eden theorem, stating that a cellular automaton has a configuration with no predecessor if and only if it has two different asymptotic configurations which evolve to the same configuration. In the period 1969–1972, within the Academy of Sciences of the Estonian SSR, our research interest was focused on the CAs problems exclusively in both theoretical and applied aspects. It was during this period that our research on CA problems was most active and was our main focus. Their results are reflected in the monograph [3], that is the first monographic work in the USSR in this direction and was noted as one of the best works of the Academy of Sciences of the ESSR in 1972 with the award of a monetary prize; in 1977 the book was noted in Soviet Mathematical Encyclopaedia and in Encyclopaedia of physical science and technology [180,181]. We introduced Russian–language terminology of the main concepts of the CAs theory, the main definitions and concepts, however CAs itself were defined as “homogeneous structures”. These moments became generally accepted in the USSR, and then in Republics of the former USSR.

Subsequently, a special structural unit was formed within the framework of TRG with a focus on noosphere issues. Or more precisely, the Baltic Branch of International Academy of Noosphere is formed on the basis of the Tallinn Research Group and is managed by Prof. Victor Aladjev. The Baltic Branch is non–profit scientific organization registered by law of Republic of Estonia. The following fundamental directions of scientific activity were determined for the Baltic Branch:

– mathematical theory of homogeneous structures (cellular automata – CA or CAs depending on context) and its applied aspects;

– computer science and modern information technologies;

– biomedical researches in the context of the noosphere problematics;

– physical and technical researches in the context of the noosphere problematics;

– infodynamical models of systems in the context of the noosphere problematics (models of systems in infosociety);

– preparation and publication of books and periodicals in these areas;

– University courses and seminars on the above problematics;

– computer mathematics systems and creation of software tools fot them.

From the very outset of our researches on the CAs problems, first of all, with application accent onto mathematical developmental biology the informal TRG consisting of the researchers of a few leading scientific centres of the former USSR has gradually formed. At that, the TRG staffs was not strictly permanent and was being changed in rather broad bounds depending on the researched problems. Members of the TRG participated in work of a lot of scientific conferences and other forums in Germany, Japan, the USA, Great Britain, Holland, Hungary, and other countries. The main scientific results of TRG were published in a lot of periodicals, transactions and proceedings in the USA, Germany, Great Britain, USSR, Holland, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Japan, Estonia, Russia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus, Moldova and other countries. The long TRG activities in the Homogeneous Structures issues received international recognition. At present, the TRG is as collective member of the Baltic Branch of the International Academy of Noosphere and the IFIP Working Group in parallel processing and computing by Cellular Automata models.

Meanwhile, after above–mentioned period of research on CAs problems in the future, trends in TRG interests changed quite often and lay within quite wide limits: CAs theory, computer science, programming, computer mathematics systems, statistics, automated control systems and others. Moreover, during significant intervals our researches in the CAs theory were not conducted or were carried out nominally because of the more high priority at that time of other topics.

Our scientific reports [4,5] at the substantial level have represented the reviews of the basic results received by the TRG on the CA problems and other scientific and practical activity. Ibidem, the analysis of the TRG activity instructive to a certain degree for research of the dynamics of the development of the CAs problems as an independent scientific direction as a whole had been represented. The references list in this book contain quite a few links, whereas a rather complete list of them can be found on the following web–links, namely:

http://www.hs-ca.narod.ru/   or   https://ca-hs.weebly.com/

https://files.portalus.ru/dl/files/TRG.html

https://bbian.webs.com/publications.htm

https://files.portalus.ru/dl/files/Our_publications_2019.pdf

TRG, originally created under the subject of Homogeneous Structures (Cellular Automata), throughout its creative activity both theoretically and practically worked on a very wide range of issues, including applied technological issues. At the same time, the main orientation quite often and, sometimes, during a fairly long time changed to such directions as programming, computer mathematics systems, computer science, books publishing, automated control systems, statistics and many others.

Our researches presented below (along with activity within the thematic focus of one or the other organization) were carried out during stay in such organizations as the Republican Computing Center of the CSO of the ESSR, the Academy of Sciences of the ESSR, the All–Union State Project–Technological Institute of the CSO of the USSR (the Estonian branch), Estonian branch of the Central Project–Technology Institute of the All–Union Association Soyuztorgsystem, Computing Center of the Estonian Republican Office of the State Bank of the USSR, Production Association Silikaat Ltd., Project–Technology Institute of Industry of the Ministry of Construction of the ESSR, VASCO Ltd., FIDO Ltd., Sinfex AS, Salcombe Eesti AS, The International Academy of Noosphere (the Estonian branch). Being in these organizations, along with the scientific research described below, we were engaged in purely applied activities: the training of system and application programmers, the development of industry and republican automated control systems, the introduction of promising computing tools and their software, development of different application software systems. A number of our activities in this direction have been awarded at the departmental, republican and all–Union levels.

Already in the International Academy of Noosphere (the Baltic Branch) headed by academician Prof. V.Z. Aladjev international collective of the scientists and researchers for the period 1995 – 2022 have preformed and have issued, along with a lot of the journal publications, number of text–books, books and monographs on the modern computer technologies, the probability theory, mathematical and general statistics, mathematical theory of the Homogeneous Structures (Cellular Automata), bio–medical researches, and also total reports of scientific and practical activity of the Academy for the accountable period. Main our publications for the above period are shown in the above WWW sites. Our publications were done in the following countries: USSR, Russia, Japan, Estonia, USA, Ukraine, Belarus, Germany, GDR, the Netherlands, Lithuania, Hungary, United Kingdom, Czechoslovakia and some others. This book briefly describes our most active researches and practical developments. I hope, the results presented below will help to clear up both theoretical and applied aspects of the TRG activity, and inform about achievements in the above areas of the modern science and engineering. Of the presented material, a certain comparative aspect can be rather clearly traced regarding development of the same directions in the West, primarily in such fields as mainframes, personal computers, computer mathematics systems and some others. In our opinion, the history of the past often allows to better understand the present and predict the future.

The book presents an expanded excursion into the creative activities of the Tallinn Research Group during 1970–2022 with a focus on researches and development in such main fields as mainframes, personal computers, general statistics theory, issues of parallel information processing and computing, computer mathematics systems (Maple, Mathematica), programming, automated control systems, mathematical developmental biology, some mathematical problems in the cellular automata theory with a focus on our standpoint on the main stages of formation of the cellular automata theory. The book may be of certain interest as a retrospective standpoint on development of the above areas in the USSR (primarily in the ESSR) and the republics of the former USSR. The book is equipped with a fairly extensive bibliography on the issues under consideration.