Open-endedness induced through a predator-prey scenario using modular robots

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that predator-prey interactions among modular robots can induce open-ended evolution, with the emergence of adaptive behaviors influenced by a tagging system and behavioral reproduction criteria.

Contribution

It introduces a tagging system and a predator-prey scenario to promote open-ended evolution in modular robots, highlighting the role of behavioral conditioning.

Findings

Emergence of adaptive strategies in robot populations

Behavioral complexity increased by tagging system

Open-ended evolution influenced by reproductive criteria

Abstract

This work investigates how a predator-prey scenario can induce the emergence of Open-Ended Evolution (OEE). We utilize modular robots of fixed morphologies whose controllers are subject to evolution. In both species, robots can send and receive signals and perceive the relative positions of other robots in the environment. Specifically, we introduce a feature we call a tagging system: it modifies how individuals can perceive each other and is expected to increase behavioral complexity. Our results show the emergence of adaptive strategies, demonstrating the viability of inducing OEE through predator-prey dynamics using modular robots. Such emergence, nevertheless, seemed to depend on conditioning reproduction to an explicit behavioral criterion.