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MiS Preprint Repository

We have decided to discontinue the publication of preprints on our preprint server as of 1 March 2024. The publication culture within mathematics has changed so much due to the rise of repositories such as ArXiV (www.arxiv.org) that we are encouraging all institute members to make their preprints available there. An institute's repository in its previous form is, therefore, unnecessary. The preprints published to date will remain available here, but we will not add any new preprints here.

MiS Preprint
36/2001

Robot control and the evolution of modular neurodynamics

Frank Pasemann, Ulrich Steinmetz, Martin Hülse and Bruno Lara

Abstract

A modular approach to neural behavior control of autonomous robots is presented. It is based on the assumption that complex internal dynamics of recurrent neural networks can efficiently solve complex behavior tasks. For the development of appropriate neural control structures an evolutionary algorithm is introduced, which is able to generate neuromodules with specific functional properties, as well as the connectivity structure for a modular synthesis of such modules. This so called ENS3-algorithm does not use genetic coding. It is primarily designed to develop size and connectivity structure of neuro-controllers. But at the same time it optimizes also parameters of individual networks like synaptic weights and bias terms. For demonstration, evolved networks for the control of miniature Khepera robots are presented. The aim is to develop robust controllers in the sense that neuro-controllers evolved in a simulator show comparably good behavior when loaded to a real robot acting in a physical environment. Discussed examples of such controllers generate obstacle avoidance and phototropic behaviors in non-trivial environments.

Received:
Jul 12, 2001
Published:
Jul 12, 2001

Related publications

inJournal
2001 Repository Open Access
Frank Pasemann, Ulrich Steinmetz, Martin Hülse and Bruno Lara

Robot control and the evolution of modular neurodynamics

In: Theory in biosciences, 3 (2001), pp. 311-326