Objectives

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Energy should be the basis of everything. Energy cost determines how many offspring, movement, complexity, intelligence, etc. More complex creatures should use more energy to spawn offspring. This is why the cockroach (or bacteria) will inherit the Earth ?

A “bottom-up” approach is preferred. This means that we would like to see things like population dynamics, complexity, speciation (how to tell?), plants, animals, predators, prey, viruses, parasites, and more. These should emerge from simple rules and simple building blocks and the environment. The creatures are assembled by their genome, the genomes evolve from mutations, and, over time, amazing things happen!

Evolutionary artificial life with the following:

• Do your research! This is a large field with a lot of history... LOTS of great videos on YouTube..
• A visual representation that is fun to watch.
• A “genome” for each species that can evolve from mutations (different kinds?).
• Ability to start, stop, save, and load simulations.
• Starting parameters can be set. Mutation rate, ?
• Ability to skip “frames” which speeds up the simulation (don't show every iteration, and disconnect the display from the actual simulation).
• Stats available that show things like timestep, # generations, the different evolved “species” (how to tell?), relative populations of species over time, lineages, and other important factors. How did this cool worm thing evolve? Why are these boring plant things dominating the whole ecosystem? How many species do I have here?
• Platform - Any that will produce the above.

Extra Features:

Should have at least one or two of the following features - but remember these MUST emerge from the genome and environment somehow:

• Genome can be tweaked manually to create your own species
• Harsh environments or events/disease that wipe out species on demand (except those that can adapt)?
• Senses: Vision? Touch? Smell?
  • If an organism can “see” food, how would the correct behavior emerge to enable it to eat?
  • Something like ants and pheromone trails.. Is “hive behavior” possible?
• Symbiosis or mutualism? Two species team up to “take down” a third? A colony organism like jellyfish?
• Weapons and Defenses: Poison blocks? Sticky blocks? Camouflage?
• What if your organisms could take advantage of “advanced" physics? Teleportation? Multiple dimensions?
• Other:  You decide!

Choose whichever features you like, but make this informative and fun to watch!

IMPORTANT: This project does not have a formal industry or faculty mentor and is student team managed and directed. If you choose this project for a one-term Capstone such as CS 467, make sure to manage the deliverables for that time frame. Alternatively, if you choose this project for a 3-term capstone (such as CS 461, 462, and 463) you will be expected to make the project more robust (and to determine how best to do this). The Instructor and TAs are available to answer any questions you may have about the project or provide resources, etc.

Motivations

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From Conway's original Life to the “Cambrian explosion” of A-Life programs today, we are learning more and more what life really is. Your mission will be to add something to the story.

Qualifications

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Minimum Qualifications:
None Listed

Preferred Qualifications:
None Listed

Details

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Project Partner:

William Pfeil

NDA/IPA:

No Agreement Required

Number Groups:

1

Project Status:

Accepting Applicants