Incremental genetic programming incorporating genetic transpositions for efficient coevolution of locomotion and sensing of simulated snake-like robot

Genetic transposition is a process of moving sequences of DNA to different positions within the genome of a single cell. It is recognized that the transposons (the jumping genes), facilitate the evolution of increasingly complex forms of life by providing the creative playground for the mutation where the latter could experiment with developing novel genetic structures without the risk of damaging the already existing, well functioning genome. In this work we investigate the effect of genetic transposition on the efficiency of genetic programming employed for coevolution of locomotion gaits and sensing of the simulated snake like robot (Snakebot). In the proposed approach, at the initial stage of evolution the pool of already evolved genotypes that control the locomotion of fast, yet sensorless Snakebots is first subjected to genetic transposition and then, the transposons are mutated in order to allow for the incorporation of the sensing information into the control of the bot. Experimental results suggest that the incremental grow of the genotype via genetic transposition and mutation, followed by the coevolution of the resulted locomotion control and sensing morphology contributes to the significant increase of the efficiency of evolution of fast moving Snakebots in challenging environments.