Aesthetically EvolvedVirtual Pets

Tom RayZoology, University of

OklahomaATR Human Information

Processing Research Laboratories, Kyoto

The Concept

Aesthetic, emotional, and empathetic selection are applied to a derivative of Karl Sims' Evolved Virtual Creatures.The resulting Creatures can be beautiful or strange, and provoke strong reactions in human observers.It may be possible to evolve virtual pets to which humans can form strong emotional bonds.

Directed Graph Bodies

Neural CircuitrySensorsProcessorsEffectors

Randomly Connected

19 SensorsTimeJoint YawJoint PitchJoint RollX PositionY PositionZ PositionX VelocityY VelocityZ Velocity

Red Color ValueGreen Color ValueBlue Color ValueX Angular VelocityY Angular VelocityZ Angular VelocityX ForceY ForceZ Force

83 Processors22 Leaves

The 19 sensorsRandomConstantOscillator

34 Unary Operations

The 7 color effectorsSineCosineExponentAbsolute valueetc.

27 Binary Operations

AddSubtractMultiplyDivideModulusAndNotOrGreaterEqualetc.

Effectors

3 Joint ActuatorsYawPitchRoll

7 Color EffectorsRedGreenBlueRed & GreenGreen & BlueBlue & RedRed & Green & Blue

Ray’s Creatures

Coming Enhancements

Genome editorHybrid GA / aesthetic selectionCo-evolutionary scenarios

Sims’ Automated Evolution

Karl Sims used a GA to automate evolutionWith selection for:

Swimming speedCrawling/walking speedJumping heightAbility to follow

Sims’ Co-evolution

Karl Sims used GA selection for possession of a blockto create a co-evolutionary scenario

Ray’s Co-evolution

Rather than using GA selection for competitionI will evolve my creatures to loveBy selecting for:

Moving towards one anotherMaximum surface contactContinued relative movement while in contact

More Information

Ray, T. S. 2000. Aesthetically Evolved Virtual Pets. In: “Artificial Life 7 Workshop Proceedings,” Carlo C. Maley and Eilis Boudreau [eds.]. Proceedings of the Seventh Artificial Life Conference. Pp. 158-161. http://www.isd.atr.co.jp/~ray/pubs/alife7a/tray@ou.edu

The End