Course details

Evolutionary and Unconventional Hardware

EUD Acad. year 2016/2017 Summer semester

Current academic year

This course introduces computational models and computers which have appeared at the intersection of hardware and artificial intelligence in the recent years as an attempt to solve traditionally hard computational problems. The course surveys relevant theoretical models, reconfigurable architectures and computational intelligence techniques inspired at the levels of phylogeny, ontogeny and epigenesis. In particular, the following topics will be discussed: evolutionary design, evolvable hardware, cellular systems, embryonic electronics, DNA computing and nanotechnology. Typical applications will illustrate the mentioned approaches.

Guarantor

Sekanina Lukáš, prof. Ing., Ph.D. (DCSY)

Language of instruction

Czech, English

Completion

Examination (oral)

Time span

  • 26 hrs lectures

Assessment points

  • 100 pts final exam (written part)

Department

Department of Computer Systems (UPSY)

Subject specific learning outcomes and competences

Students will be able to utilize evolutionary algorithms to design electronic circuits. They will be able to model, simulate and implement non-conventional, in particular bio-inspired, computational systems.

Understanding the relation between computers (computing) and some natural processes.

Learning objectives

To understand the principles of bio-inspired and unconventional computational systems. To be able to use the bio-inspired and other unconventional techniques in the phase of design, implementation and runtime of a computational device.

Prerequisite knowledge and skills

There are no prerequisites

Study literature

  • Floreano, D., Mattiussi, C.: Bioinspired Artificial Intelligence: Theories, Methods, and Technologies. The MIT Press, Cambridge 2008, ISBN 978-0-262-06271-8
  • Greenwood, G., Tyrrell, A.: Introduction to Evolvable Hardware. A Practical Guide for Designing Self-Adaptive Systems. IEEE Press Series on Computational Intelligence, 2006, ISBN 0-471-71977-3
  • Higuchi, T., Liu, Y., Yao, X.: Evolvable Hardware. Springer Verlag, 2006, ISBN: 0-387-24386-0
  • Mařík et al.: Umělá inteligence IV, Academia, 2003, 480 s., ISBN 80-200-1044-0
  • Sekanina L., Vašíček Z., Růžička R., Bidlo M., Jaroš J., Švenda P.: Evoluční hardware: Od automatického generování patentovatelných invencí k sebemodifikujícím se strojům. Academia Praha 2009, ISBN 978-80-200-1729-1 

Fundamental literature

  • Floreano, D., Mattiussi, C.: Bioinspired Artificial Intelligence: Theories, Methods, and Technologies. The MIT Press, Cambridge 2008, ISBN 978-0-262-06271-8
  • Greenwood, G., Tyrrell, A.: Introduction to Evolvable Hardware. A Practical Guide for Designing Self-Adaptive Systems. IEEE Press Series on Computational Intelligence, 2006, ISBN 0-471-71977-3
  • Higuchi, T., Liu, Y., Yao, X.: Evolvable Hardware. Springer Verlag, 2006, ISBN: 0-387-24386-0
  • Sekanina L., Vašíček Z., Růžička R., Bidlo M., Jaroš J., Švenda P.: Evoluční hardware: Od automatického generování patentovatelných invencí k sebemodifikujícím se strojům. Academia Praha 2009, ISBN 978-80-200-1729-1 

Syllabus of lectures

  1. Introduction: Traditional models of computation, their limits and super-Turing computing
  2. Computer hardware, implementation limits
  3. Natural computing: inspiration, computational platforms, classification
  4. Reconfigurable devices
  5. Cartesian genetic programming
  6. Evolutionary design of digital circuits
  7. Evolvable hardware
  8. Evolvable hardware, applications
  9. Evolution and development, cellular automata, L-systems
  10. Embryonic electronics, cellular computational platforms, Cell Matrix, POEtic
  11. Nanotechnology and molecular electronics
  12. DNA computing
  13. Recent trends

Progress assessment

Study evaluation is based on marks obtained for specified items. Minimimum number of marks to pass is 50.

Controlled instruction

Elaboration and presentation of a project.

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