Evolution and RobotsHow to Create Artificial Brains for Machines

Who am I?

• Robotics & AI PhD Student @ ISCTE-IUL

• Geek, Hacker, all the good stuff

• Sci-fi, Tech and Robotics enthusiast

• Metalhead and Petrolhead

Overview

• Why Evolutionary Robotics (ER)?

• How Evolutionary Algorithms (EA) Work

• Challenges

• Cool projects

Archytas’ pigeon (~400 BC)

da Vinci’s Mechanical Knight

(1495)

Good Old Fashion Artificial

Intelligence (and Robotics)

Behavior Based

Robotics

Evolutionary Robotics

•Self-organized behavior

•Adaptable controllers

Evolutionary Algorithms

Evolutionary Algorithms

Fitness

Example: finding the best color for camouflage

Evolutionary Algorithms

Mutation (and/or Recombination)

Artificial Neural Networks

Neuron

Synapse

OutputInput

0.42.0

Neuron activation function

-1.2

Connection/Synaptic weight

-0.7

Sensors

Actuators

Inputs Outputs

Left Light Sensor

Right Light Sensor

Right Motor

Left Motor

Left Light Sensor

Right Light Sensor

Right Motor

Left Motor

Simulating Evolution in Robotics

• Robot Model

• Task

• Evaluation/Fitness Function

The  Bootstrapping  Problem

The  Reality  Gap

My Work

• (trying to) solve the Bootstrapping Problem and crossing the Reality Gap

• Hierarchical approach to the evolution of behaviors

Wrapping It Up

• Pros

• Self-organization of behavior

• ANNs are tolerant to noise

• Adaptable controllers

• Cons

• Currently only works “in the lab”

• Simple robots & simple behaviors

• Controllers might be... unpredictable

Questions/Discussion

@miguelduarte42