Evolution as a method of solving technical problems

The idea to use the mechanisms of natural selection in the field of technical design was first proposed half a century ago. Since then, scientists have achieved considerable success.

Biological evolution and mechanisms of natural selection proved to be an extremely effective tool for the adaptation of living organisms to environmental conditions. Polar bear superbly adapted to cold Arctic, horned viper - to the heat of the Sahara desert. Half a century ago, at the dawn of the computer era, programmers had the idea to try to apply the laws discovered by Darwin, to solve technical problems. Thus was born the evolutionary algorithms. On the current state of affairs in the field of genetic programming and evolutionary strategies can be found by visiting the last international conference in Amsterdam GECCO (Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference).

Versions of the technical solutions mate and produce offspring

In the struggle for existence, survival of the fittest - so how nature. But this does not necessarily mean physical force. The strongest - and this may be the highest or the squat, the heaviest or lightest, most fat or skinny, the fastest or the most sluggish, and the most cunning or the most clever ... It all depends on the conditions in which the body has put the external environment.

On the same principles built and evolutionary modeling, but here are fighting for survival are not animals in the wild, and the technical solutions in the computer. For example, different nozzle design of the engine. Mark Harman (Mark Harman), a professor of computer science at University College London, explains: "We usually start modeling with a random set of solutions a technical problem. Just as in nature, making our choices can mate and produce offspring, some of the descendants of may not be perfect parents. As soon as the generations pass, can crystallize one or two successful solutions. When it comes to the engine nozzle, it can be design to ensure a higher degree of compression of fuel. Our program they have more chances to give birth . "

Optimization of technical solutions is itself

The selection criteria is set, of course, people. This may be, for example, the efficiency of the nozzle: from the most efficient design survive and the less effective die and withdrawn computer. And a few hundred generations later the computer if you are lucky, may suddenly give out an optimized version of the jets - an option that could never have imagined living design engineer. Professor Harman explains, "The great advantage of evolutionary algorithms is that successful solutions crystallize themselves. We do not know exactly how it is born or that decision, we can only conclude that it is indeed better than others. And all the work is done for us evolution . "

It is clear that the possibilities of this method are not limitless. Depending on the complexity of the problem, computer modeling based on evolutionary algorithms may require many weeks of computer time, he says: "It took billions of years of evolution to the fact that life has evolved from bacteria to humans. But we certainly can not wait that long. Therefore, we start modeling, usually try to set a good starting position. Figuratively speaking, our evolution begins not with the bacteria, and a monkey. "

Index - to set the boundary conditions

It takes on special significance skill of the programmer and his sense of proportion, if he asks too vague, uncertain boundary conditions, the digital evolution can take too much time, but if the conditions are too narrow and rigid, evolution can and does "not go". According to Professor Harman, the method was already quite widespread among engineers, especially in solving optimization problems. But after a few years of evolutionary algorithms may be of interest and software developers, said the scientist, "One idea that seems to me very interesting, is that these algorithms can detect and even self-correct errors in the program - and at the same time, when the program is running. So far, however, this idea is at an early stage of development, but in two years it will hopefully be possible to implement in practice. "

Perhaps in the near future, connected to the charger overnight smartphone will be able to independently verify the compatibility of the next update of the operating system with installed applications. And in the case of conflict notify the owner, and even better - just adapt the new version of the operating system to existing applications.

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