PLAZZMID: Evolutionary algorithms from bacterial and bee genomes
Lead Research Organisation:
University of York
Department Name: Computer Science
Abstract
Classical evolutionary algorithms have been extremely successful at solving certain problems. But they implement a very simple model of evolutionary biology that misses out several aspects that might be exploited by more sophisticated algorithms. We have previously critiqued the traditional naive approach to bio-inspired algorithm design, that moves straight from a simplistic description of the biology into some algorithm. PLAZZMID uses a more sophisticated process for developing richer evolutionary algorithms abstracted from various processes of biological evolution, with a corresponding richer analogical computational structure. The PLAZZMID approach will be used to explore questions from theoretical evolutionary biology, and to solve dynamic computational problems, such as evolving for homeostasis in a variable environment.
Organisations
Publications
Hickinbotham S
(2016)
Maximizing the Adjacent Possible in Automata Chemistries.
in Artificial life
Clark EB
(2017)
Semantic closure demonstrated by the evolution of a universal constructor architecture in an artificial chemistry.
in Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
Hickinbotham SJ
(2021)
Nothing in evolution makes sense except in the light of parasitism: evolution of complex replication strategies.
in Royal Society open science
Description | The project developed the novel Artificial Chemistry stringmol, a form of assembly language AChem. It exploited it in several scenarios to uncover the crucial importance of several properties needed by an AChem to produce a rich complex system of reactions. In particular, systems seeded with imperfect replicators exhibited several evolutionary properties shared by biological organisms. |
Exploitation Route | A detailed specification of the AChem is provided in a Technical Report, allowing others to experiment with the same system. Additionally a web-based version is available. The stringmol system has subsequently been used as a research tool in an EU-funded project, EvoEvo |
Sectors | Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software),Education |