Indirect Encoding of Structures for Evolutionary Design

Author(s):  
Fabien Nicaise ◽  
Erik K. Antonsson

The use of Evolutionary Computations (EC’s) has become one of the primary methods in the field of automated design synthesis. The overwhelming majority of EC’s in use today use a direct encoding, where an individual is described by its gene string. This means that every engineering domain must create its own encoding scheme, making implementation in new fields difficult and slow. Additionally, direct encoding does not produce symmetry or modularity, unless these attributes are written into the encoding scheme ab initio. Direct encoding, however, is not the way that genetic information is used in biological evolution. In nature, each DNA string (genotype) is composed of instructions or rules on how an individual should grow and develop. This has provided nature with a wide array of evolved solutions, based on simple coding blocks. This paper presents a method of indirect (rules-based) encoding for an EC based on the biological analog of development: the gene string no longer describes the individual, but rather contains an instruction set on how to generate the individual. This allows for additional elements to be added by modifying the rule set, rather than re-composing the entire genetic structure. Indirect encoding also can have a built-in response to the environment, and is therefore able to adapt more readily to dynamic situations. Examples are shown to demonstrate the rule-set and its adaptability.

Author(s):  
Julian R. Eichhoff ◽  
Felix Baumann ◽  
Dieter Roller

In this paper we demonstrate and compare two complementary approaches to the automatic generation of production rules from a set of given graphs representing sample designs. The first approach generates a complete rule set from scratch by means of frequent subgraph discovery. Whereas the second approach is intended to learn additional rules that fit an existing, yet incomplete, rule set using genetic programming. Both approaches have been developed and tested in the context of an application for automated conceptual engineering design, more specifically functional decomposition. They can be considered feasible, complementary approaches to the automatic inference of graph rewriting rules for conceptual design applications.


1947 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. 8-21
Author(s):  
T. Lonka

In Finland the protein content of the feeds is in general so low that it restricts the milk yield particularly in herds of high production capacity. This is especially significant for the reason that owing primarily to climatic factors the quality of the feeds cannot be notably improved in this respect. Therefore an effort should be made to change the composition of milk by means of breeding in such a way that it would correspond to the possibilities of feed cultivation in Finland better than at present. This would mean that it should be endeavoured to breed cows whose milk is very fat-rich but at the same time poor in protein, in which case more of the commercially valuable butterfat could be produced on the feed grown on the estate. Since a correspondingly greater amount of milk of poor protein percentage could be produced than that of protein rich milk, the breeding of such cows would not decrease the yield of protein, which is of such great food value, but as great an amount in kilograms of milk protein would be available as earlier for domestic purposes as well as dairies. We have aimed at this goal in our country in general by endeavouring to raise the fat percentage of the milk by means of breeding. It is known that protein percentage does not increase exactly as markedly as the fat percentage, wherefore the protein yield per kilogram of fat decreases as the percentage rises. The influence of breeding would however be incomparably greater if low protein percentage were selected simultaneously with high fat percentage. In the investigation we have dealt with the possibilities of such selection in Finnish cattle, in connection with which we have striven to make clear how much the protein percentage of the milk varies independently of the fat percentage. The material comprises 54 West-Finnish Native cows; the fat and protein percentages of their milk yield has been determined once a month during one lactation. The relation of fat and protein is not the same throughout the whole lactation, but it changes so that at the end of the lactation the protein percentage as compared with the fat percentage is relatively greater than at the beginning of the period (Table and Figure 1). The averages of the fat and protein percentages and likewise the correlation between them depend consequently upon the length of the calving interval. Therefore the said averages have been estimated only on the basis of 2—7 production months. Fy means of these averages r = +0.60 ± 0.09 was derived as the coefficient of correlation between the fat and protein percentages y = 1.53 + 0.39 x as the regression equation, x = fat percentage and y = protein percentage. The individual cows diverge very much from the general rule set by the regression equation, which can be concluded already from the comparatively low value of the coefficient of correlation. The protein percentage of the milk yield of the West- Finnish Native cows diverges at least about one per cent independently of the fat percentage when judging on the basis of the extreme divergencies in the material. Although a part of the divergency evidently is caused by external factors, the role of the genetic factors is nevertheless so great that there appear to be great possibilities for breeding cows producing fat-rich milk by means of breeding but having a protein which would be considerably lower than the present average.


2021 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 291-296
Author(s):  
A. V. Lapshtaeva ◽  
I. V. Sychev ◽  
L. N. Goncharova

Identification of factors determining both of favorable and unfavorable outcome of IVF will increase the effectiveness of this method and optimize infertility treatment. The aim of the research is to analyze the correlation between serum IL-1α concentration, its gene rs1800587 (C/T) genotype carrier and thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH), thyroid hormones (triiodothyronine (T3) and tetraiodothyronine (T4)), and evaluate the prognostic significance of their combinations in women with tube-peritoneal infertility under the IVF program. 120 patients with tube-peritoneal infertility who applied for an IVF program were examined. Depending on the outcome of the procedure, 2 groups of patients were allocated: 1 group - 40 women who had a pregnancy after IVF, 2 group - 80 patients who did not have a pregnancy. The content of IL-1α, TSH, T3, T4 was determined in blood by ELISA. Genotyping was performed on the rs1800587 (C/T) polymorphic marker of the IL-1α gene. TSH, T3, T4 were within the norm for both groups. In our study, women with a TSH concentration of 0.23 to 1.7 nmol/L had a chance of a favorable IVF outcome 1.4 times higher than with other TSH levels (p = 0.042901); with a T3 level of 1.0 to 1.8 nmol/L had a chance of becoming pregnant 5.7 times higher than with other levels of T3 (p = 0.00002). For T4 concentration, the confidence test was not achieved (p = 0.068505). The individual indicators of IL-1α, TSH, T3 and carrier of the genotype of the gene IL-1α at the preconceptive stage have lower diagnostic value than their combined combination. Three combinations have maximum predictive value: a combination of the T/T genotype of the IL-1α gene and the TSH level of 0.23 to 1.7 nmol/l - OR = 8.1 (p = 0.000048); combination of IL-1α of 28.7 to 85.1 pg/ml, T/T gene genotype IL-1α and TSH level of 0.23 to 1.7 nmol/l - OR = 8.1 (p = 0.000048); combination of IL-1α of 28.7 to 85.1 pg/ml, T/T gene genotype IL-1α, TSH level of 0.23 to 1.7 nmol/l and T3 level of 1.0 to 1.8 nmol/l - OR = 8.1 (p = 0.000146). Thus, proposed new prognostic markers of IVF program effectiveness.


Author(s):  
Jhih-Yuan Hwang ◽  
Wei-Po Lee

The current surveillance systems must identify the continuous human behaviors to detect various events from video streams. To enhance the performance of event recognition, in this chapter, we propose a distributed low-cost smart cameras system, together with a machine learning technique to detect abnormal events through analyzing the sequential behaviors of a group of people. Our system mainly includes a simple but efficient strategy to organize the behavior sequence, a new indirect encoding scheme to represent a group of people with relatively few features, and a multi-camera collaboration strategy to perform collective decision making for event recognition. Experiments have been conducted and the results confirm the reliability and stability of the proposed system in event recognition.


1984 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
pp. 111-133 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ted Benton

The topic of my talk is a very ancient one indeed. It bears upon the place of humankind in nature, and upon the place of nature in ourselves. I shall, however, be discussing this range of questions in terms which have not always been available to the philosophers of the past when they have asked them. When we ask these questions today we do so with hindsight of some two centuries of endeavour in the ‘human sciences’, and some one and a half centuries of attempts to situate the human species within a theory of biological evolution. And these ways of thinking about ourselves and our relation to nature have not been confined to professional intellectuals, nor have they been without practical consequences. Social movements and political organizations have fought for and sometimes achieved the power to give practical shape to their theoretical visions. On the one hand, are diverse projects aimed at changing society through a planned modification of the social environment of the individual. On the other hand, are equally diverse projects for pulling society back into conformity with the requirements of race and heredity. At first sight, the two types of project appear to be, and often are, deeply opposed, both intellectually and politically.


Author(s):  
Giuseppe O Longo

Man and technology are inseparable: man produces technology, but the latter contributes to the continuous transformation of man. Today biological evolution based on random genetic mutations is largely exceeded by cultural (more specifically, technological) evolution, which is much faster due to the presence of Lamarckian inheritance mechanisms (imitation, learning and the like). This has two important consequences: 1) the formation of Homo technologicus, a symbiotic creature where biology meets technology intimately and is subject to a continuous transformation; and 2) the formation of a sort of Planetary Creature that originates from the interconnection of the individual man-machine symbionts and is heralded by the Internet and by the communication activities occurring in the Internet, in particular those taking place in the so-called social networks. The Planetary Creature is a single world-wide structure where important communication and cognitive processes occur, developing into a sort of connective intelligence that tends to absorb individual intelligences. This encroaching process can produce resistance and dissent as well as suffering, but can also enhance individual abilities. Actually, the growing efficiency and the decreasing costs of the communication mediated by technology offer unprecedented opportunities for augmenting knowledge and creativity and for eliciting novel forms of intellectual activity. On the other hand there might be negative consequences such as addiction to computers and virtuality, delegation of activities and abilities to machines, vulnerability of complex systems, undue control on individuals and economic exploitation. Some important consequences of these developments are examined concerning the body, the time and space categories, and in particular the identity concept.  This text is the keynote address of Guiseppe O. Longo at the 9th International Conference on Sociocybernetics, organised by the Research Committee 51 of the International Sociological Association (ISA) in Urbino, 29 June - 5 July 2009. The theme of the conference was: `Modernity 2.0 - Emerging Social Media Technologies and Their Impacts´. Longo presents here the perspective of engineering science towards sociological issues. He has published several books on that topic, so far in Italian language only. Though some of his statements in the text don't seem well-founded to sociological readers or may be deemed highly speculative, we decided to make his ideas accessible to the non- Italian world. We think they are worth discussing. Wolfgang Hofkirchner    


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sara N. AlRawi ◽  
Michael D. Fetters

Applied therapy is a commonly utilized method of treatment for preventive and therapeutic measures. Avicenna, a significant physician of the Islamic golden age, described 36 methods to restore balance of patients’ elements, humors and faculties. We propose a categorization of these methods within a single theory and framework, as this has previously been lacking. To be considered under the rubric of TAIM applied therapies, the procedures must have: 1) proof of use in the Arab and Muslim world; 2) considered an essential component of Avicenna’s compendium of regimental therapy; and 3) historical lineage according to regional, cultural or Islamic healing practices. We developed a taxonomy of applied therapies by denoting each as a primary or supportive method and providing a definition for each category of methods. We define applied therapy as techniques or procedures involving physical and manual contact with the individual that are aimed at restoring health and preventing illness. Primary methods describe therapies which when used individually can impact the vital force of the body in order to preserve or restore health, while supportive methods describe therapies used in conjunction with primary methods intended to augment or create a synergistic and enhanced effect, exceeding that of primary methods alone. Our work provides a fundamental step in continuing the evolution of the TAIM conceptual model and advancing our understanding of the diverse practices under the rubric of applied therapy. Researchers can use this comprehensive TAIM taxonomy for investigating the respective elements, and systematically exploring the theoretical and therapeutic applications.


EDIS ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 2019 (6) ◽  
pp. 4
Author(s):  
Sean Michael Campbell ◽  
Brian J Pearson

Hops (Humulus lupulus) are perennial plants commonly harvested for their mature strobiles, also referred to as cones, which are primarily dried and used as a bittering agent and preservative in beer production. The two primary factors of harvest timing and harvest method can have large impacts on the quality and economics of the finished product. The decision of when and how to harvest is important and should rely upon growing-region-specific environmental conditions, physical observations of the cones, and the wants and needs of the individual producer. This new 4-page publication of the UF/IFAS Environmental Horticulture Department describes the primary methods used in hop harvesting, including field, indoor, and machine harvesting. Written by Sean Michael Campbell and Brian J. Pearson.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ep578


1992 ◽  
Vol 58 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-109 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. A. Clark

Steven Mithen's ‘Ecological Interpretations of Palaeolithic Art’ (PPS 57, 103–14) reminded me of a Chinese meal — initially satisfying, but it doesn't stick with you for very long. While I subscribe to broadly similar paradigmatic biases at the level of the metaphysic, the ‘thoughtful forager’ model itself, proposed to relate various aspects of the art under the aegis of a particular kind of adaptationist perspective, seems to be conceptually muddled and operationally problematic. Also, Mithen's starting-point, the notion of an inherent contradiction between human creativity and an adaptationist point of view, is a red herring—wherever did he get it?! I will confine these brief remarks to three points that bear on different conceptions of adaptation and how they effect construals of pattern and the meaning of pattern in Palaeolithic art. I also respond to referees' comments.Mithen takes me, Straus and Gamble to task for omitting the individual and individual decision-making in our conceptions of adaptation (pp. 104, 105). A conception of adaptation that is focused on the group is juxtaposed with one invoking selection operating at the level of the individual organism in a direct analogy with group vs. individual selection in biological evolution.


Author(s):  
Or Yogev ◽  
Erik K. Antonsson

This paper presents a novel approach for the design synthesis of continuous inhomogeneous structures. The objective of this research is to mimic biological principles of growth and evolution in order to explore a set of novel design configurations identified by high complexity both in topology and mechanical properties. The ability to synthesize novel structures is explored from an engineering point view, where the use of inhomogeneous properties can increase the ability of a structure to support external loads and minimize weight. Based on the observation that biological structures are inhomogeneous, in the sense that different cells have different properties, an artificial environment has been created which models the biological growth procedure with cells that serve as building blocks of the structure. Cell differentiation is expressed only in the sense of mechanical properties. Each cell contains an identical artificial DNA sequence which is executed during the growth procedure and stops once the structure meets desired engineering requirements, such as supporting loads. The DNA contains sets of rules which are encoded as a gene string. A relatively simple DNA sequence can give rise to complex inhomogeneous structures; small changes in the rules can lead to a significantly different structures with different properties. The representation of these rules is ideally suited for evolution, which will be applied in the future to evolve rule-sets that grow and develop high-performance inhomogeneous structures.


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