Artificial Life Models in Software

The advent of powerful processing technologies and the advances in software development tools have drastically changed the approach and implementation of computational research in fundamental properties of living systems through simulating and synthesizing biological entities and processes in artificial media. Nowadays realistic physical and physiological simulation of natural and would-be creatures, worlds and societies becomes a low-cost task for ordinary home computers. The progress in technology has dramatically reshaped the structure of the software, the execution of a code, and visualization fundamentals. This has led to the emergence of novel breeds of artificial life software models, including three-dimensional programmable simulation environment, distributed discrete events platforms and multi-agent systems. This second edition reflects the technological and research advancements, and presents the best examples of artificial life software models developed in the World and available for users.

Artificial Life Models in Software provides an introduction and guide to modern software tools for modeling and simulating life-like phenomena, written by those who personally design and develop software, hardware, and art installations in artificial life, simulated complex systems and virtual worlds.

This timely volume offers a nearly exhaustive overview and original analysis of major non-profit software packages that are actively developed and supported by experts in artificial life and software design. The carefully selected topics include:

• simulation and evolution of real and artificial life forms,

• natural and artificial morphogenesis,

• self-organization,

• models of communication and social behaviors,

• emergent collective behaviors and swarm intelligence,

• agent-based simulations,

• autonomous and evolutionary robotics,

• adaptive, complex and biologically inspired ecosystems,

• artificial chemistries,

• creative computer art.

The models of life presented here are essential components in undergraduate and post-graduate courses in complex adaptive systems, multi-agent systems, collective robotics and nature-inspired computing. Readers interested in artificial life, evolutionary biology, simulation, cybernetics, computer graphics and animation, neuroscience, cognitive science, and philosophy will find this monograph a valuable guide and an excellent resource for supplementary reading.