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Evolutionary Robotics

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Springer Handbook of Robotics

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Abstract

Evolutionary Robotics is a method for automatically generating artificial brains and morphologies of autonomous robots. This approach is useful both for investigating the design space of robotic applications and for testing scientific hypotheses of biological mechanisms and processes. In this chapter we provide an overview of methods and results of Evolutionary Robotics with robots of different shapes, dimensions, and operation features. We consider both simulated and physical robots with special consideration to the transfer between the two worlds.

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Abbreviations

2-D:

two-dimensional

3-D:

three-dimensional

ANN:

artificial neural network

CCD:

charge-coupled device

DC:

direct current

DSM:

dynamic state machine

EPFL:

Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne

ER:

evolutionary robotics

FARSA:

framework for autonomous robotics simulation and analysis

FPGA:

field-programmable gate array

NN:

neural network

PIC:

programmable intelligent computer

PLD:

programmable logic device

ROM:

read-only memory

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Cognitive Sciences and Technologies, National Research Council (CNR), Via S. Martino della Battaglia 44, 00185, Rome, Italy

    Stefano Nolfi

  2. Department of Computer Science, University of Vermont, 205 Farrell Hall, VT 05405, Burlington, USA

    Josh Bongard

  3. Department of Informatics, University of Sussex, BN1 9QH, Brighton, UK

    Phil Husbands

  4. Laboratory of Intelligent Systems, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL), LIS-IMT-STI, Station 9, 1015, Lausanne, Switzerland

    Dario Floreano

Authors
  1. Stefano Nolfi
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  2. Josh Bongard
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  3. Phil Husbands
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  4. Dario Floreano
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stefano Nolfi .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Naples Federico II, Via Claudio 21, 80125, Naples, Italy

    Bruno Siciliano

  2. Department of Computer Sciences, Artificial Intelligence Laboratory, Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, CA 94305, Stanford, USA

    Oussama Khatib

Video-References

Video-References

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Visual navigation of mobile robot with pan-tilt camera available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/36

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Visual navigation with collision avoidance available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/37

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Coevolved predator and prey robots available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/38

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Evolution of collision-free navigation available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/39

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Online learning to adapt to fast environmental variations available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/40

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iCub language comprehension available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/41

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Resilent machines through continuous self-modeling available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/114

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A swarm-bot of eight robots displaying coordinated motion available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/115

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Discrimination of objects through sensory-motor coordination available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/116

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Evolution of cooperative and communicative behaviors available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/117

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Exploration and homing for battery recharge available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/118

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Introduction to evolutionary robotics at EPFL available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/119

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Evolution of visually guided behavior on Sussex gantry robot available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/371

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Evolved walking in an Octpod available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/372

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Evolved homing walk on rough ground available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/373

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Evolved bipedal walking available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/374

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Evolved GasNet visualization available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/375

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Evolved group coordination available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/376

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Morphological change in an autonomous robot available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/771

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More complex robots evolve in more complex environments available from http://handbookofrobotics.org/view-chapter/76/videodetails/772

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Nolfi, S., Bongard, J., Husbands, P., Floreano, D. (2016). Evolutionary Robotics. In: Siciliano, B., Khatib, O. (eds) Springer Handbook of Robotics. Springer Handbooks. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-32552-1_76

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