March 28, 2005

Genetic Algorithms and Lego Mindstorms

"sex bots" (Geez, some people must be hard up.)

OK, the "sex bots" article refers to using Lego Mindstorms interaction to generate the success factor as part of a genetic code-sharing algorithm rather than the bots going at it like two rabid hyneas. Having said that, it's a really cool experiment. Simply put, the experiment basically allows to bots to share code between one another under certian conditions; if they don't meet those conditions, the bots can't share code, and they don't combine code.

Granted, this is not *new* new, just new in the sense of not having been done with Mindstorms, nor by anyone not involved with some form of AI work. It's very, very cool.

Interesting note: Luxo Jr., one of Pixar's more popular animated shorts, was developed in part using genetic algorithms, which helped the animators come up with the unusual walk that Luxo and son both have.

Posted by Ted Stevko at March 28, 2005 09:42 AM | TrackBack