Abstract A trend in robotics is towards legged robots. One of the issues with legged robots is th... more Abstract A trend in robotics is towards legged robots. One of the issues with legged robots is the development of gaits. Typically gaits are developed manually. In this paper we report our results of autonomous evolution of dynamic gaits for the Sony Quadruped Robot. Fitness is determined using the robot's digital camera and infrared sensors. Using this system we evolve faster dynamic gaits than previously manually developed.
Abstract To reduce the problem of premature convergence we define a new method for measuring an i... more Abstract To reduce the problem of premature convergence we define a new method for measuring an individual's age and propose the Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS). This new measure of age measures how long the genetic material has been evolving in the population: offspring start with an age of 1 plus the age of their oldest parent instead of starting with an age of 0 as with traditional measures of age.
Abstract Modular robotic systems offer potential advantages as versatile, fault-tolerant, cost-ef... more Abstract Modular robotic systems offer potential advantages as versatile, fault-tolerant, cost-effective platforms for space exploration, but a sufficiently mature system is not yet available. We describe the possible applications of such a system, and present prototype hardware intended as a step in the right direction. We also present elements of an automated design and optimization framework aimed at making modular robots easier to design and use, and discuss the results of applying the system to a gait optimization problem.
Abstract We present the first hardware-in-the-loop evolutionary optimization on an ornithopter. O... more Abstract We present the first hardware-in-the-loop evolutionary optimization on an ornithopter. Our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of evolving flight through genetic algorithms and adaptable hardware, without the requirement for a thorough knowledge of the aerodynamics of flapping flight. In this research we successfully optimized forward velocity and basic efficiency on an actual hardware ornithopter.
Abstract With the recent examples of human-competitiveness of evolutionary design systems, of int... more Abstract With the recent examples of human-competitiveness of evolutionary design systems, of interest is scaling them up to producing more sophisticated designs. Here we argue that for computer-automated design systems to scale to producing more sophisticated results they must be able to produce designs with greater structural organization. By structural organization we mean the characteristics of modularity, regularity and hierarchy (MR&H), characteristics that are found both in man-made and natural designs.
Abstract There are various representations for encoding graph structures, such as artificial neur... more Abstract There are various representations for encoding graph structures, such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) and circuits, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here we analyze edge encodings and show that they produce graphs with a node creation order connectivity bias (NCOCB). Additionally, depending on how input/output (I/O) nodes are handled, it can be difficult to generate ANNs with the correct number of I/O nodes.
Abstract. One of the main limitations for the functional scalability of automated design systems ... more Abstract. One of the main limitations for the functional scalability of automated design systems is the representation used for encoding designs. I argue that generative representations, those which are capable of reusing elements of the encoded design in the translation to the actual artifact, are better suited for automated design because reuse of building blocks captures some design dependencies and improves the ability to make large changes in design space.
Whereas the current practice of designing antennas by hand is severely limited because it is both... more Whereas the current practice of designing antennas by hand is severely limited because it is both time and labor intensive and requires a significant amount of domain knowledge, evolutionary algorithms can be used to search the design space and automatically find novel antenna designs that are more effective than would otherwise be developed. Here we present automated antenna design and optimization methods based on evolutionary algorithms.
Abstract As the application and complexity of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices increases, th... more Abstract As the application and complexity of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices increases, there is a corresponding need for automated design and optimization tools to augment engineers' design skills. Evolutionary computation provides a set of tools that may prove very effective in this application domain. Here we present a novel evolutionary computation encoding scheme for specifying MEMS designs, and use this scheme to evolve a MEMS meandering resonator.
The Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS) paradigm is a novel metaheuristic for overcoming prem... more The Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS) paradigm is a novel metaheuristic for overcoming premature convergence by running multiple instances of a search algorithm simultaneously. When the ALPS paradigm was first introduced it was combined with a generational Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) and the ALPS-EA was shown to work significantly better than a basic EA.
Summary Since its creation in the early 1990s, the World Wide Web has evolved from its initial, s... more Summary Since its creation in the early 1990s, the World Wide Web has evolved from its initial, static Web sites to the dynamic, interactive Web sites of today. But whereas existing Web sites merely respond directly to user input, there is growing interest in making them adaptive through the use of computational intelligence. A promising approach for this involves a family of optimization techniques called evolutionary algorithms.
Abstract An evolutionary algorithm is used to evolve gaits with the Sony entertainment robot, AIB... more Abstract An evolutionary algorithm is used to evolve gaits with the Sony entertainment robot, AIBO. All processing is handled by the robot's on-board computer with individuals evaluated using the robot's hardware. By sculpting the experimental environment, we increase the robustness to different surface types and different AIBOs. Evolved gaits are faster than those created by hand. Using this technique we evolve a gait used in the consumer version of AIBO
Abstract This paper presents work using Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) and Generative Representati... more Abstract This paper presents work using Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) and Generative Representations for the evolution of table designs. Since the nave EA tends to produce irregular designs that are typically quite ugly, one of the challenges faced in this project is producing aesthetically pleasing forms. One technique used in the computer graphic community that has had success in producing highly complex, natural looking structures are L systems.
Abstract The fundamental dichotomy in evolutionary algorithms is that between exploration and exp... more Abstract The fundamental dichotomy in evolutionary algorithms is that between exploration and exploitation. Recently, several algorithms [8, 9, 14, 16, 17, 20] have been introduced that guard against premature convergence by allowing both exploration and exploitation to occur simultaneously. However, continuous exploration greatly increases search time.
Abstract The field of evolutionary robotics has demonstrated the ability to automatically design ... more Abstract The field of evolutionary robotics has demonstrated the ability to automatically design the morphology and controller of simple physical robots through synthetic evolutionary processes. However, it is not clear if variation-based search processes can attain the complexity of design necessary for practical engineering of robots. Here, we demonstrate an automatic design system that produces complex robots by exploiting the principles of regularity, modularity, hierarchy, and reuse.
Abstract The American Association for Artificial Intelligence was pleased to present the AAAI 200... more Abstract The American Association for Artificial Intelligence was pleased to present the AAAI 2006 Fall Symposium Series, held Friday through Sunday, October 13-15, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, DC. Seven symposia were held.
Abstract The following topics are dealt with: digital systems evolution; analog systems evolution... more Abstract The following topics are dealt with: digital systems evolution; analog systems evolution; controller evolution; real world applications; fault tolerance; biologically inspired robotics; evolvable hardware platforms; cellular automata; embryonics; and biologically inspired architecture.
T h i s article surveys the research of the Evolvable Systems Group at NASA Ames Research Center.... more T h i s article surveys the research of the Evolvable Systems Group at NASA Ames Research Center. Over the past few years, our group has developed the ability to use evolutionary algorithms in a variety of NASA applications ranging from spacecraft antenna design, fault tolerance for programmable logic chips, atomic force field parameter fitting, analog circuit design, and earth observing satellite scheduling. In some of these applications, evolutionary algorithms match or improve on human performance.
ABSTRACT For computer-automated design systems to scale to more sophisticated designs they must b... more ABSTRACT For computer-automated design systems to scale to more sophisticated designs they must be able to produce designs with greater structural organization than previously achieved. By structural organization we mean the characteristics of modularity, regularity and hierarchy (MR&H), characteristics that are found both in man-made and natural designs. Here we claim that these characteristics are enabled by implementing the attributes of combination, control-flow and abstraction in the representation.
Evolvable hardware is an emerging technology that is based on using advanced search algorithms to... more Evolvable hardware is an emerging technology that is based on using advanced search algorithms to automatically design, reconfigure, adapt, or otherwise manipulate hardware or software models of hardware. Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are one of the key search techniques used in the field. EAs are stochastic search methods that mimic the metaphor of natural biological evolution.
Abstract A trend in robotics is towards legged robots. One of the issues with legged robots is th... more Abstract A trend in robotics is towards legged robots. One of the issues with legged robots is the development of gaits. Typically gaits are developed manually. In this paper we report our results of autonomous evolution of dynamic gaits for the Sony Quadruped Robot. Fitness is determined using the robot's digital camera and infrared sensors. Using this system we evolve faster dynamic gaits than previously manually developed.
Abstract To reduce the problem of premature convergence we define a new method for measuring an i... more Abstract To reduce the problem of premature convergence we define a new method for measuring an individual's age and propose the Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS). This new measure of age measures how long the genetic material has been evolving in the population: offspring start with an age of 1 plus the age of their oldest parent instead of starting with an age of 0 as with traditional measures of age.
Abstract Modular robotic systems offer potential advantages as versatile, fault-tolerant, cost-ef... more Abstract Modular robotic systems offer potential advantages as versatile, fault-tolerant, cost-effective platforms for space exploration, but a sufficiently mature system is not yet available. We describe the possible applications of such a system, and present prototype hardware intended as a step in the right direction. We also present elements of an automated design and optimization framework aimed at making modular robots easier to design and use, and discuss the results of applying the system to a gait optimization problem.
Abstract We present the first hardware-in-the-loop evolutionary optimization on an ornithopter. O... more Abstract We present the first hardware-in-the-loop evolutionary optimization on an ornithopter. Our experiments demonstrate the feasibility of evolving flight through genetic algorithms and adaptable hardware, without the requirement for a thorough knowledge of the aerodynamics of flapping flight. In this research we successfully optimized forward velocity and basic efficiency on an actual hardware ornithopter.
Abstract With the recent examples of human-competitiveness of evolutionary design systems, of int... more Abstract With the recent examples of human-competitiveness of evolutionary design systems, of interest is scaling them up to producing more sophisticated designs. Here we argue that for computer-automated design systems to scale to producing more sophisticated results they must be able to produce designs with greater structural organization. By structural organization we mean the characteristics of modularity, regularity and hierarchy (MR&H), characteristics that are found both in man-made and natural designs.
Abstract There are various representations for encoding graph structures, such as artificial neur... more Abstract There are various representations for encoding graph structures, such as artificial neural networks (ANNs) and circuits, each with its own strengths and weaknesses. Here we analyze edge encodings and show that they produce graphs with a node creation order connectivity bias (NCOCB). Additionally, depending on how input/output (I/O) nodes are handled, it can be difficult to generate ANNs with the correct number of I/O nodes.
Abstract. One of the main limitations for the functional scalability of automated design systems ... more Abstract. One of the main limitations for the functional scalability of automated design systems is the representation used for encoding designs. I argue that generative representations, those which are capable of reusing elements of the encoded design in the translation to the actual artifact, are better suited for automated design because reuse of building blocks captures some design dependencies and improves the ability to make large changes in design space.
Whereas the current practice of designing antennas by hand is severely limited because it is both... more Whereas the current practice of designing antennas by hand is severely limited because it is both time and labor intensive and requires a significant amount of domain knowledge, evolutionary algorithms can be used to search the design space and automatically find novel antenna designs that are more effective than would otherwise be developed. Here we present automated antenna design and optimization methods based on evolutionary algorithms.
Abstract As the application and complexity of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices increases, th... more Abstract As the application and complexity of microelectromechanical (MEMS) devices increases, there is a corresponding need for automated design and optimization tools to augment engineers' design skills. Evolutionary computation provides a set of tools that may prove very effective in this application domain. Here we present a novel evolutionary computation encoding scheme for specifying MEMS designs, and use this scheme to evolve a MEMS meandering resonator.
The Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS) paradigm is a novel metaheuristic for overcoming prem... more The Age-Layered Population Structure (ALPS) paradigm is a novel metaheuristic for overcoming premature convergence by running multiple instances of a search algorithm simultaneously. When the ALPS paradigm was first introduced it was combined with a generational Evolutionary Algorithm (EA) and the ALPS-EA was shown to work significantly better than a basic EA.
Summary Since its creation in the early 1990s, the World Wide Web has evolved from its initial, s... more Summary Since its creation in the early 1990s, the World Wide Web has evolved from its initial, static Web sites to the dynamic, interactive Web sites of today. But whereas existing Web sites merely respond directly to user input, there is growing interest in making them adaptive through the use of computational intelligence. A promising approach for this involves a family of optimization techniques called evolutionary algorithms.
Abstract An evolutionary algorithm is used to evolve gaits with the Sony entertainment robot, AIB... more Abstract An evolutionary algorithm is used to evolve gaits with the Sony entertainment robot, AIBO. All processing is handled by the robot's on-board computer with individuals evaluated using the robot's hardware. By sculpting the experimental environment, we increase the robustness to different surface types and different AIBOs. Evolved gaits are faster than those created by hand. Using this technique we evolve a gait used in the consumer version of AIBO
Abstract This paper presents work using Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) and Generative Representati... more Abstract This paper presents work using Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs) and Generative Representations for the evolution of table designs. Since the nave EA tends to produce irregular designs that are typically quite ugly, one of the challenges faced in this project is producing aesthetically pleasing forms. One technique used in the computer graphic community that has had success in producing highly complex, natural looking structures are L systems.
Abstract The fundamental dichotomy in evolutionary algorithms is that between exploration and exp... more Abstract The fundamental dichotomy in evolutionary algorithms is that between exploration and exploitation. Recently, several algorithms [8, 9, 14, 16, 17, 20] have been introduced that guard against premature convergence by allowing both exploration and exploitation to occur simultaneously. However, continuous exploration greatly increases search time.
Abstract The field of evolutionary robotics has demonstrated the ability to automatically design ... more Abstract The field of evolutionary robotics has demonstrated the ability to automatically design the morphology and controller of simple physical robots through synthetic evolutionary processes. However, it is not clear if variation-based search processes can attain the complexity of design necessary for practical engineering of robots. Here, we demonstrate an automatic design system that produces complex robots by exploiting the principles of regularity, modularity, hierarchy, and reuse.
Abstract The American Association for Artificial Intelligence was pleased to present the AAAI 200... more Abstract The American Association for Artificial Intelligence was pleased to present the AAAI 2006 Fall Symposium Series, held Friday through Sunday, October 13-15, at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City in Washington, DC. Seven symposia were held.
Abstract The following topics are dealt with: digital systems evolution; analog systems evolution... more Abstract The following topics are dealt with: digital systems evolution; analog systems evolution; controller evolution; real world applications; fault tolerance; biologically inspired robotics; evolvable hardware platforms; cellular automata; embryonics; and biologically inspired architecture.
T h i s article surveys the research of the Evolvable Systems Group at NASA Ames Research Center.... more T h i s article surveys the research of the Evolvable Systems Group at NASA Ames Research Center. Over the past few years, our group has developed the ability to use evolutionary algorithms in a variety of NASA applications ranging from spacecraft antenna design, fault tolerance for programmable logic chips, atomic force field parameter fitting, analog circuit design, and earth observing satellite scheduling. In some of these applications, evolutionary algorithms match or improve on human performance.
ABSTRACT For computer-automated design systems to scale to more sophisticated designs they must b... more ABSTRACT For computer-automated design systems to scale to more sophisticated designs they must be able to produce designs with greater structural organization than previously achieved. By structural organization we mean the characteristics of modularity, regularity and hierarchy (MR&H), characteristics that are found both in man-made and natural designs. Here we claim that these characteristics are enabled by implementing the attributes of combination, control-flow and abstraction in the representation.
Evolvable hardware is an emerging technology that is based on using advanced search algorithms to... more Evolvable hardware is an emerging technology that is based on using advanced search algorithms to automatically design, reconfigure, adapt, or otherwise manipulate hardware or software models of hardware. Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are one of the key search techniques used in the field. EAs are stochastic search methods that mimic the metaphor of natural biological evolution.
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Papers by Greg Hornby