CS378 Neuroevolution: Class-by-Class Details

Aug 27 Introduction

Reading: Chapter 1
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 NERO 1.0 Behaviors
 Interactive Demo: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in COVID-19
 Discovering Multitask Learning Topologies in Character Recognition
 Complex Coordinated Behavior of Hyenas vs. Lions

Aug 28 Basics of Evolution

Reading: Section 2.1 (Sections 2.1.4 - 2.1.7 optional)
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 SimpleGA: Shaffer;  Rastrigin
 SimpleES: Shaffer;  Rastrigin
 CMAES: Shaffer;  Rastrigin
 Bipedal walker: stuck;  successful

Sep 03 Basics of Neural Networks

Reading: Section 2.2
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 NN playground

Sep 04 Basics of Neuroevolution

Reading: Chapter 3
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Bipedal walker learning: walk;  unstuck
 Finding different strategies: reaching;  jumping
 Other terrains: terrain1;  terrain2

Sep 10 Indirect Encodings: Developmental Approaches

Reading: Sections 4.1 - 4.2
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Evolving tables; And many other structures
 Evolutionary robotics

Sep 11 Indirect Encodings: Hypernetworks and Attention

Reading: Sections 4.3 - 4.5 (Section 4.3.5 optional)
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Picbreeder
 Soft Robots
 AttentionAgents

Sep 17 Diversity: Novelty

Reading: Sections 5.1 - 5.4 (Section 5.4.3 optional)
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 1D Search
 Stepping Stones in Novelty Search
 Novelty Search in Bipedal Walking
 Multilegged walking with MAP-Elites

Sep 18 Diversity: Ensembling

Reading: Sections 5.5 - 5.7
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Hierarchical ESP (arms race)
 Egalitarian Social Learning

Sep 24 Behavior: Control

Reading: Sections 6.1.1 - 6.1.3
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Controlling a Finless Rocket
 Race Car Driving
 Personal Satellite Assistant
 Controlling Flappyball with Context+Skill Networks
 Evolving Modular Controllers for Multilegged Robots
 Evolving Controller Symmetry for Multilegged Robots
 Evolving Controllers for Physical Multilegged Robots
 GOLEM
 Swarm bots

Sep 25 Behavior: Strategy

Reading: Sections 6.1.4 - 6.1.6
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Keepaway Soccer
 Learning in Fractured Domains
 Multimodal Behavior in Ms. Pac-Man: Multilife; Single-life; Interleaved; Isolated

Oct 01 Behavior: Decision-Making

Reading: Section 6.2
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Automatic Regularization with a Surrogate Model
 Automated Curricular Evolution with a Surrogate Model
 Evolution of the Pareto Front
 Interactive Demo: Land-use Optimization
 Interactive Demo: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions in COVID-19

Oct 02 Collective Systems

Reading: Sections 7.1 - 7.2 (Section 7.3 optional)
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Cooperation Based on Stigmergy vs. Communication
 Adaptive Teams of Agents (Legion-II Game)
 Competitive Coevolution (Robotic Duel)
 Evolutionary Arms Race (Hyenas and Zebras)

Oct 08 Review

See the review questions page for details.

Oct 09 Midterm Exam

See the exam page for details.

Oct 15 Interactive Neuroevolution: NERO

Reading: Sections 8.1 - 8.2
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 NERO 1.0 Behaviors
 NERO 2.0 Videos

Oct 16 Interactive Neuroevolution: Collaborative

Reading: Sections 8.3 - 8.4
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Picbreeder
 Petalz
 Galactic Arms Race intro video, game

Oct 22 Open-ended Neuroevolution: Evolvability

Reading: Section 9.1
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:

Oct 23 Open-ended Neuroevolution: Coevolution

Reading: Sections 9.2 - 9.3
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Body-Brain coevolution
 POET
 Enhanced POET
 Chaser-escapee

Oct 29 Neural Architecture Search: Performance

Reading: Sections 10.1 - 10.3
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Discovering Complex LSTM Designs
 Interactive demo: LSTM Music Maker

Oct 30 Neural Architecture Search: Constrained

Reading: Sections 10.4 - 10.6
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 CoDeepNEAT Optimizing Accuracy and Size
 CoDeepNEAT in Character Recognition
 Discovering Multitask Learning Topologies in Character Recognition
 Interactive demo: Character Recognition
 Interactive demo: Celebrity Match through Multitask Evolution
 Interactive demo: Weight-Agnostic Neural Networks

Nov 05 Metalearning

Reading: Sections 11.1 - 11.3.5
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Webpage optimization
 Bilevel Optimization of Helicopter Hovering

Nov 06 Neuromorphic systems

Reading: Sections 11.3.6-11.4
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 F1Tenth car

Nov 12 Neuroevolution + Reinforcement Learning

Reading: Chapter 12 (12.3.2-12.3.3 optional)
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Walking robot with ES-MAML
 Driving and walking with evolved Hebbian networks
 Walking and Atari with Simple GAs

Nov 13 Neuroevolution + Generative AI

Reading: Chapter 13 (13.4 optional)
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Evolutionary Model Merging
 Sodaracer: Seeds,  Seeded results;  Variations,  Blob,  Hopper,  Centipede,
 Sodaracer: Lineage;  Bump challenge,  Solution1,  Solution2;  Tunnel challenge

Nov 19 Neuroevolution in Biology: Circuitry, Development

Reading: Sections 14.1 - 14.4
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Evolution of Pattern Generators

Nov 20 Neuroevolution in Biology: Constraints, Intelligence

Reading: Reading: Sections 14.5 - 14.7
Lecture: Slides, Video
Links:
 Evolved Virtual Creatures;  Multitask Extension;  Muscle-drive Extension
 Botprize Demo Video;  Other Botprize Videos
 Complex Coordinated Behavior of Hyenas vs. Lions

Dec 03 Projects; Slimevolley finals; Class evaluation

• Status reports on class projects.
• Semifinals and final in the Slimevolley tournament. We will run a round robin ahead of time among all HW7 submissions and the top four teams enter the semifinals.
• We'll also have time for doing the class evaluation online at the end of the class.

Dec 04 Review

See the review questions page for details.

Dec 13 Final Exam

See the exam page for details.