. . . The idea of evolutionary algorithms is not new. Until recently, however, their use has been confined to projects such as refining the aerodynamic profiles of car bodies, aircraft fuselages and wings. That is because only large firms have been able to afford the supercomputers needed to mutate and crossbreed large virtual genomes—and then simulate the behaviour of their offspring—for perhaps 20m generations before the perfect design emerges.What has changed, in this as in so much else, is the availability and cheapness of computing power. According to John Koza of Stanford University, who is one of the pioneers of the field, evolutionary designs that would have taken many months to run on PCs are now feasible in days.The result is that the range of applications to which the principles of evolutionary design are being applied is growing fast. Among those revealed at the Genetic and Evolutionary Computation Conference held in London this summer were long-life USB memory sticks, superfast racing-yacht keels, ultra-high-bandwidth optical fibres, high performance Wi-Fi antennae (evolved to avoid patent fees), cochlear implants that can optimise themselves to individual patients and a cancer-biopsy analyser that was evolved to match a human pathologist’s tumour-spotting skills.
How can evolution help improve a USB stick? It turns out that the storage transistors in these flash-memory devices are prone to being gummed up with electrostatic charge that they cannot dissipate. That prevents them being erased, limiting the stick’s useful life. A team at the University of Limerick in Ireland therefore evolved new signal-timing patterns that minimise the build-up of the disabling charge. The result: USB sticks that last up to 30 times longer than their predecessors. At the University of Sydney, in Australia, Steve Manos let an evolutionary algorithm come up with novel patterns in a type of optical fibre that has air holes shot through its length. Normally, these holes are arranged in a hexagonal pattern, but the algorithm generated a bizarre flower-like pattern of holes that no human would have thought of trying. It doubled the fibre’s bandwidth. . . . [ read more Don't invent evolve]
See also:
Evolutionary computation: An overview(pdf)
Adrian Thompson’s Hardware Evolution Page ( He uses evolution to improve computer chips. )
2 responses so far ↓
1 al // Nov 6, 2007 at 9:06 pm
Dear Herself,
I had an interesting discussion with a salesclerk at an Apple Computer store. After listening to IPod Nano and other similar devices CAREFULLY, I came to the conclusion that I did not like the sound quality. . .there is definitely something “missing.” As a former electronics engineer I know that to transform an analog sound into digital information (ones and zeros), the digital encoder must “sample” the analog sound many times in one second. This, in effect, “chops up” the natural sound into thousands of tiny segments of time which, in turn, is given binary numerical values. The space between the sampling time intervals is “filled in” by another unit that decodes the digital signal into analog, making it audible to human ears, via headset or speakers. I do not like digital sound reproduction, no matter how sophisticated, although I am forced to utilize CDs and the like. At the Apple store I listened to Truckin’, by Grateful Dead and a few other “oldies” that have been digitally remastered and offered on CD and other digital media, including the successful Nano products.
These sounds, to me, were artificial and hollow, with only cunning enhancements made to the different tracks, making them seem “full”. Not true, in my opinion.
The tiny interval of time that is left between samplings of an analog signal by a digital encoder is recognized only by our subtler “inner” ear, or cognition. The decoder (that unit that changes the digital info back into analog) cannot accurately represent the original analog sound. . .it is always flawed, though I admit it is without the minor pops and background sound of a record player. Digital music also upsets the subtle vibrations of a human body and can make one very nervous and edgy quickly. . .sometimes within minutes. I’ll bet you didn’t know this. We are all hiding it well!
What does the above have to do with evolutionary computing and advanced algorithms. Well, to start with, we are not digital beings. . .we are perfect and natural “analog” beings. Our awareness is not cut up into minute time fragments (not digitally encoded), but operates in continuous consciousness (although some humans don’t seem to have any consciousness!). It is not possible to create a machine, no matter how sophisticated, that gains a sense of Self, let alone a deep realization of innermost introspection. This is reserved for our top-of-the-line species. . .humanoid. It is not the brain that is intelligent or aware, it is the power of consciousness that empowers the brain. The latter (the brain) is simply a material effect of THE EVOLUTION OF CONSCIOUSNESS, WHICH IS FORMLESS, NON-MATERIAL.
I cannot prove any of this. What is to come in the way of computing power cannot be fathomed but a self-intelligent and self-aware piece of hardware/software is the stuff that sci-fi will always entertain with a gusto.
Many functions of the brain will be mimicked by computers and many enhancements will and are being evolved. Consciousness, however, is the privelege of humankind. AGI will only come about when a human being is the central reality and machine is connected to him/her.
2 admin // Nov 7, 2007 at 6:28 am
Thanks. I did not know or notice that about the digital music. Usually I’m listening to podcasts. Now I’ll have to pay closer attention.
I am pretty sure we are not ‘perfect’. We may be as perfect as can given the time we’ve had to evolve so far but much could use improvement. Less time sleeping would be a good start.
It sounds like you are equating consciousness with a soul in that it is an uprovable, not material thing? I don’t believe this to be so. There are many things we can not yet explain. That does not make them magic.
Yes, we are mimicking the brain with AI, but at what point does the mimicry become good enough to be called a separate intelligence with consciousness?
Your last paragraph is interesting, you are looking towards a Borg-like human evolution? But perhaps with out the hive mind? Some like you’d find in Rudy Rucker’s stories? That is most certainly coming as well. Myself I expect to morph into a Borg like creature as computer enhancements help me to age.
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