title: Recent developments in the evolution of morphologies and controllers for physically simulated creatures.
abstract: Karl Sims' work on evolving body shapes and controllers for three-dimensional, physically simulated creatures generated wide interest on its publication in 1994. The purpose of this article is threefold: (a) to highlight a spate of recent work by a number of researchers in replicating, and in some cases extending, Sims' results using standard PCs (Sims' original work was done on a Connection Machine CM-5 parallel computer). In particular, a re-implementation of Sims' work by the authors will be described and discussed; (b) to illustrate how off-the-shelf physics engines can be used in this sort of work, and also to highlight some deficiencies of these engines and pitfalls when using them; and (c) to indicate how these recent studies stand in respect to Sims' original work.
authors.affiliation: International Centre for Computer Games and Virtual Entertainment, University of Abertay Dundee, Bell Street, Dundee DD1 1HG, UK. tim.taylor@abertay.ac.uk
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Taylor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Massey
mesh_terms: D000715:Anatomy / Q000379:methods; D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009068:Movement; D055585:Physical Phenomena; D010825:Physics; D010827:Physiology / Q000379:methods; D011156:Population Density; D012984:Software; D014584:User-Computer Interface