A virtual robot learning to follow a track
Download v1.5 197K - Mac OS 8.5 - 9.2
The robot's steering program is evolved by the ESC-GP system using genetic programming. It has to follow the track using its four sensors - or it will be punished.
The track is a mathematical function. Each sensor ray reports the signal where it meets the track (found by 'regula falsi'), or zero when it misses, as a real sensor would.
The animation shows a behaviour learned in about 4 minutes on a 266 MHz PowerPC G3. In the stills, arrows mark the trail travelled so far and lines show each sensor's direction and range. The evolved program behind pictures 4 and 5 is available as Pseudo-C.
The RoboRail project was later reincarnated as a Mac OS X screensaver for PowerPC and 32-bit Intel Macs - witness the robot's struggles during your coffee break. Free download in the screensaver section.