Title
Soft-Body Muscles for Evolved Virtual Creatures: The Next Step on a Bio-Mimetic Path to Meaningful Morphological Complexity
Paper 137 Details
Authors
Presentation Schedule
- Talk Time: 16:35
- Date: Friday 24 July
- Session: Agent and Robot Morphology RCH/037 Friday 24 July 16:10
Full Paper Download
Download via this paper's page on the MIT Press ECAL 2015 Proceedings website.
Abstract
In the past, evolved virtual creatures (EVCs) have been developed with rigid, articulated bodies, and with soft bodies, but never before with a combination of the two. In nature, however, creatures combining a rigid skeleton and non-rigid muscles are some of the most complex and successful examples of life on earth. Now, for the first time, creatures with fully evolved rigid-body skeletons and soft-body muscles can be developed in the virtual world, as well. By exploiting and re-purposing the capabilities of existing soft-body simulation systems, we can evolve complex and effective simulated muscles, able to drive a rigid-body skeleton. In this way, we can begin to bridge the gap between articulated and softbodied EVCs, and take the next step on a nature-inspired path to meaningful morphological complexity for evolved virtual creatures.
