Artificial Life Models in Software

ISBN-13: 9781848822849 / Angielski / Twarda / 2009 / 441 str.

Maciej Komosinski; Andrew Adamatzky

Opis

The advent of powerful processing technologies and the advances in software development tools have drastically changed the approach and implementation of computational research in fundamental properties of living systems through simulating and synthesizing biological entities and processes in artificial media. Nowadays realistic physical and physiological simulation of natural and would-be creatures, worlds and societies becomes a low-cost task for ordinary home computers. The progress in technology has dramatically reshaped the structure of the software, the execution of a code, and visualization fundamentals. This has led to the emergence of novel breeds of artificial life software models, including three-dimensional programmable simulation environment, distributed discrete events platforms and multi-agent systems. This second edition reflects the technological and research advancements, and presents the best examples of artificial life software models developed in the World and available for users.

Recenzje

From the reviews of the second edition: "Inducing biological functioning into a computing system has always been an interesting topic. It is quite difficult to confirm whether we can make a computing system behave as a life element. This book provides applications, philosophies, and tools that help provide artificial life models in software. ... the book provides detailed descriptions of frameworks, applications, and approaches used in artificial life models in software. This well-written book includes chapters that relate nicely to each other, helpful figures, and in-depth discussions of the various topics." (Varadraj Gurupur, ACM Computing Reviews, February, 2010)

Spis treści

Part I Virtual Environments.- Avida: A Software Platform for Research in Computational Evolutionary Biology.- Foundations of and Recent Advances in Artificial Life Modeling with Repast 3 and Repast Simphony.- Sodarace: Continuing Adventures in Artificial Life.- 3D Multi-Agent Simulations in the Breve Simulation Environment.- Framsticks: Creating and Understanding Complexity of Life.- Part II Lattice Worlds.- Starlogo TNG: Making Agent Based Modeling Accessible and Appealing for Novices.- From Artificial Life to In Silico Medicine: Netlogo as a Means of Translational Knowledge Representation in Biomedical Research.- Discrete Dynamics Lab: Tools for Investigating Cellular Automata and Discrete Dynamical Networks.- EINSTein: A Multiagent-based Model of Combat.- Part III Artificial Chemistries.- From Artificial Chemistries to Systems Biology: Software for Chemical Organization Theory.- Spatially Resolved Artificial Chemistry.- Part IV Artificial Life Arts.- Simulated Breathing – A Framework of Breeding Artifacts on the Computer.- On the Evolution of Sonic Ecosystems.- Enriching Aesthetics with Artificial Life.- Appendix A: Artificial Life Software.- Index

Blurb

Artificial Life Models in Software provides an introduction and guide to modern software tools for modeling and simulating life-like phenomena, written by those who personally design and develop software, hardware, and art installations in artificial life, simulated complex systems and virtual worlds.

This timely volume offers a nearly exhaustive overview and original analysis of major non-profit software packages that are actively developed and supported by experts in artificial life and software design. The carefully selected topics include:

• simulation and evolution of real and artificial life forms,

• natural and artificial morphogenesis,

• self-organization,

• models of communication and social behaviors,

• emergent collective behaviors and swarm intelligence,

• agent-based simulations,

• autonomous and evolutionary robotics,

• adaptive, complex and biologically inspired ecosystems,

• artificial chemistries,

• creative computer art.

The models of life presented here are essential components in undergraduate and post-graduate courses in complex adaptive systems, multi-agent systems, collective robotics and nature-inspired computing. Readers interested in artificial life, evolutionary biology, simulation, cybernetics, computer graphics and animation, neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy will find this monograph a valuable guide and an excellent resource for supplementary reading.