IT-Universitetet i København
 
  Tilbage Kursusoversigt
Kursusbeskrivelse
Kursusnavn (dansk):Artificial Life & Evolutionary Robotics: Theory, Methods and Art 
Kursusnavn (engelsk):Artificial Life & Evolutionary Robotics: Theory, Methods and Art 
Semester:Forår 2016 
Udbydes under:cand.it., spil (games) 
Omfang i ECTS:7,50 
Kursussprog:Engelsk 
Kursushjemmeside:https://learnit.itu.dk 
Min. antal deltagere:12 
Forventet antal deltagere:30 
Maks. antal deltagere:60 
Formelle forudsætninger:A completed course on programming such as "Introductory Programming" will be helpful but is not mandatory. There will be a variety of assignments for students with more or less programming experience. 
Læringsmål:After the course the students should be able to:

- Describe and theorize on artificial life algorithms.
- Identify tasks that can be tackled through advanced bio-inspired techniques and select the appropriate technique for the problem under investigation.
- Compare the performance of different alife techniques and reflect on their suitability for different tasks.
- Design and implement efficient and robust advanced alife algorithms.
- Evaluate the algorithms in simulated or physical environments. 
Fagligt indhold:The primary goal of the course is to allow the students to understand the foundation and philosophical basis of artificial life, its methods, and their practical use in games, robotics, and art.

This interdisciplinary course is open across study-lines and disciplines.

The course will partially cover the following list of topics:
- Philosophical perspectives on the nature of life and the possibility of artificial life
- Soft artificial life (Cellular automata, Artificial Evolution, Neutral Networks, Neuroevolution, NEAT / HyperNEAT, Generative and Developmental Systems, CPPNs, HyperNEAT, L-Systems)
- Hard artificial life (Artificial life robots, Evolutionary robotics, the reality gap, Co-evolution bodies and brains)
- Collective Intelligence (Swarm robotics, Evolution of communication, Cellular robot systems, Self-organizing and self-reproducing systems
- Wet artificial life (Artificial chemical life)
- The use of artificial life in design and art

Info on the 15 ECTS version
This spring semester 2016 an extended version of the A-life course is offered in collaboration with the Department of Arts and Cultural Studies at the University of Copenhagen. This version includes to follow the normal “A-life” course of 7.5 ECTS taught on Mondays from 10-14 and lectures at Copenhagen University on Thursdays from 14-18 plus extra curriculum connected to these lectures.

The extended project will include the following topics at Copenhagen University:
  • Social robots and telematics

  • Objects and Agencies

  • Future Robots and Utopia

  • Social Robots - Interaction & the Uncanny

  • And 6 week project phase in groups divided between ITU and Copenhagen University.
In order to do the 15 ECTS version, register for a 15 ECTS project in the registration period (instead of registering for the 7,5 ECTS course) and give the project the title "Robots and Artificial Life – extended project”. Supervisors can be Kasper Støy, Sebastian Risi or Laura Beloff. Groups will be decided when the teaching starts.
If interested, please contact Katrine Lund (kacl@itu.dk) for more information and text for the project agreement. 
Læringsaktiviteter:14 ugers undervisning bestående af forelæsninger, øvelser og vejledning

14 weeks of teaching consisting of lectures, exercises and supervision. Students will have the opportunity to choose between (1) more programming heavy assignments (such as implementing an evolutionary robotics algorithm in a physical simulator), (2) assignments that require minimal programming and use existing Alife software platforms (e.g. AVIDA), and (3) assignments that deal more with the philosophical and cultural perspectives on the nature of life and the possibility of artificial life.

- 7 weeks of intensive lectures + mandatory individual assignment. The mandatory individual assignment (6 page written report + additional material depending on choosen assignment) will be handed-in *TBD* (*hard deadline*) to the instructor.

- 7 weeks of group project work with supervision (some lectures are planned during this period). The group project report (written work + additional material depending on choosen assignment) will be handed-in at the examination office by *TBD* (*hard deadline*).

Students are responsible for attending lectures (some of which will likely be by outside guest speakers) and then working on their projects independently (individual mandatory assignment) or in groups. Besides the hours planned for lectures, tutorial, exercise and supervision sessions are planned which complement the theory covered during the lectures and are necessary for meeting the learning objectives of the course. 

Obligatoriske aktivititer:The mandatory individual assignment (6 page written report + additional material depending on chosen assignment) will be handed-in *TBD* (*hard deadline*) to the instructor. The mandatory assignment deadline is posted in LearnIT.

Be aware: The student will receive the grade NA (not approved) at the ordinary exam, if the mandatory activities are not approved and the student will use an exam attempt. 
Eksamensform og -beskrivelse:D22: Aflevering med mundtlig eksamen suppleret af aflevering., (7-scale, external exam)

- Assignment that demonstrate that the students master the use of artificial life techniques in the context of software, hardware or the arts.

- The total duration of the oral examination is 30 minutes per examinee  

Litteratur udover forskningsartikler:To be announced.