Abstract: This paper presents a real-time, interactive fluid simulation and vec- tor visualization technique that can be incorporated in media arts projects. These techniques- referred to collectively as the Fluid Automata system- have been adapted for various configurations, including mobile applications, interactive 2D and 3D projections, and multi-touch tables, and have been presented in a number of different environments- both academic and artistic- including galleries, conferences, and a virtual reality research lab. We describe specific details about the fluid simulation component, which, by changing a small number of parameters, allows users to quickly generate a vast number of "fluid profiles" and thus to explore a wide range of aesthetic possibilities that are easy to incorporate into media arts projects. In particular, we present this fluid simulation (and accompanying visual representation) as an example of how media artists can create novel versions of existing visualization techniques in order to emphasize variability, experimentation, and interactivity.