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"Animals" grown from an artificial embryo
August 21, 2002VIRTUAL creatures, with muscles, senses and primitive nervous systems, have been "grown" from artificial embryos in a computer simulation. The multi-celled organisms could be the first step towards using artificial evolution to create intelligent life from scratch.
Each creature begins life as a single "embryo" cell, containing a string of random numbers that represent its genome. Some genes tell the cell to split in two, forming a joint between the two new cells. Others tell it to develop different kinds of ability to make the organism move within or sense its virtual environment.
Given a particular genome, each embryo cell will develop in a predetermined way. For example, it could develop cells with the ability to move the joints they are attached to, forming a virtual limb. Or they could develop sensitivity to light or touch. Give the embryo a different genome and it will develop into a different cell arrangement.
In a parallel with real cells, the virtual embryos contain simulated chemicals that switch its genes on or off. When the simulation is run, genes activated by the "chemicals" make the cell act in different ways. And some of the virtual genes produce chemicals that activate other genes.
Josh Bongard, an AI researcher at the University of Zurich, ran the simulation until each cell had grown into a creature of up to 50 cells. He then tested each one to see how well it pushed a simulated box. By setting one creature against another, Bongard was soon able to find which cells grew into the most effective "pushing" creatures.
He then took the genomes that led to the most successful creatures and mixed them to produce new genomes for his virtual embryos, which he grew and tested. Bongard, who reported the work at the International Workshop on Biologically Inspired Robotics at HP Labs, Bristol, now has a bunch of creatures that excel at box-pushing.
"Evolution seems to figure out that it`s useful to organise the growth process," says Rolf Pfeifer who works with Bongard. "You get repeated structures, and they discover things like increasing body mass helps to push the block."
So far, none of the virtual creatures has grown the equivalent of a brain- a dense collection of neurons in one region. Instead, they have neurons connected through each cell, allowing the creatures to move and sense in a primitive manner. Bongard thinks brain-like regions will develop if the creatures are given tougher tasks. "The mid-term goal is to keep posing increasingly complex tasks to see at what point you get a centralisation of the neural systems and where you start to see cognition," says Bongard. This, he adds, would mark a move from evolving artificial life to evolving artificial intelligence.
Once you have evolved a genome capable of producing such a complex creature, it should be possible to build it, says Bongard.
Gerald Edelman a neurobiologist at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California, says the work is important because the muscles, joints and nerves are evolved and grown together, which is necessary if they are to work well as a unit.
By DUNCAN GRAHAM-ROWE
http://www.newscientist.com">New Scientist issue 24th August 2002
PLEASE MENTION NEW SCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF THIS STORY AND, IF PUBLISHING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A HYPERLINK TO : http://www.newscientist.com"> http://www.newscientist.com
New Scientist
In a parallel with real cells, the virtual embryos contain simulated chemicals that switch its genes on or off. When the simulation is run, genes activated by the "chemicals" make the cell act in different ways. And some of the virtual genes produce chemicals that activate other genes.
Josh Bongard, an AI researcher at the University of Zurich, ran the simulation until each cell had grown into a creature of up to 50 cells. He then tested each one to see how well it pushed a simulated box. By setting one creature against another, Bongard was soon able to find which cells grew into the most effective "pushing" creatures.
He then took the genomes that led to the most successful creatures and mixed them to produce new genomes for his virtual embryos, which he grew and tested. Bongard, who reported the work at the International Workshop on Biologically Inspired Robotics at HP Labs, Bristol, now has a bunch of creatures that excel at box-pushing.
"Evolution seems to figure out that it`s useful to organise the growth process," says Rolf Pfeifer who works with Bongard. "You get repeated structures, and they discover things like increasing body mass helps to push the block."
So far, none of the virtual creatures has grown the equivalent of a brain- a dense collection of neurons in one region. Instead, they have neurons connected through each cell, allowing the creatures to move and sense in a primitive manner. Bongard thinks brain-like regions will develop if the creatures are given tougher tasks. "The mid-term goal is to keep posing increasingly complex tasks to see at what point you get a centralisation of the neural systems and where you start to see cognition," says Bongard. This, he adds, would mark a move from evolving artificial life to evolving artificial intelligence.
Once you have evolved a genome capable of producing such a complex creature, it should be possible to build it, says Bongard.
Gerald Edelman a neurobiologist at the Neurosciences Institute in San Diego, California, says the work is important because the muscles, joints and nerves are evolved and grown together, which is necessary if they are to work well as a unit.
By DUNCAN GRAHAM-ROWE
http://www.newscientist.com">New Scientist issue 24th August 2002
PLEASE MENTION NEW SCIENTIST AS THE SOURCE OF THIS STORY AND, IF PUBLISHING ONLINE, PLEASE CARRY A HYPERLINK TO : http://www.newscientist.com"> http://www.newscientist.com
New Scientist
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Gene mismatch influences success of bone marrow transplants
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Scientists at UA, collaborating institutions decode maize genome
Scientists from the University of Arizona led by Arizona Genomics Institute director Rod A. Wing and from collaborating institutions have deciphered the complete genetic code of the maize plant for the first time.
Ancestry attracts, but love is blind
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WPI Researchers Take Aim at Hard-to-Treat Fungal Infections
A team of researchers at the Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) Life Sciences and Bioengineering Center at Gateway Park has developed a new model system to study fungal infections.
Technique finds gene regulatory sites without knowledge of regulators
A new statistical technique developed by researchers at the University of Illinois allows scientists to scan a genome for specific gene-regulatory regions without requiring prior knowledge of the relevant transcription factors.
Causative gene of a rare disorder discovered by sequencing only protein-coding regions of genome
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New research into the mechanisms of gene regulation
A team led by Penn State's Ross Hardison, T. Ming Chu Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, has taken a large step toward unraveling how regulatory proteins control the production of gene products during development and growth.
Maize cell wall genes identified, giving boost to biofuel research
Purdue University scientists have helped identify and group the genes thought to be responsible for cell wall development in maize, an effort that expands their ability to discover ways to produce the biomass best suited for biofuels production.
New map of variation in maize genetics holds promise for developing new varieties
A new study of maize has identified thousands of diverse genes in genetically inaccessible portions of the genome. New techniques may allow breeders and researchers to use this genetic variation to identify desirable traits and create new varieties that were not easily possible before.
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