
Genetic Algorithms Digest   Tuesday, December 28, 1993   Volume 7 : Issue 34

 - Send submissions to GA-List@AIC.NRL.NAVY.MIL
 - Send administrative requests to GA-List-Request@AIC.NRL.NAVY.MIL
 - anonymous ftp archive: FTP.AIC.NRL.NAVY.MIL (Info in /pub/galist/FTP)

Today's Topics:
	- GA Graph Extrapolation?
	- GA in Cluster Analysis
	- GAs in PROLOG
	- Request for Info
	- Call for Papers: IEEE transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics
	- COMPLEX'94
	- Call for Alpha and Beta Test Sites

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CALENDAR OF GA-RELATED ACTIVITIES: (with GA-List issue reference)

EP94 3rd Ann Conf on Evolutionary Programming, San Diego (v7n7) Feb 24-25, 94
IEE94 Colloquium on Molecular Bioinformatics, London, UK (v7n21)   Feb 28, 94
SPIE, Neural & Stoch. Methods in Image & Sig Proc, Orlando(v7n18) Apr 5-8, 94
FLAIRS-94 Workshop on Artif Life and AI, Pensacola Beach, FL(v7n23) May 4, 94
The IEEE Conference on Evolutionary Computation, Orlando(v7n26) Jun 26-30, 94
FOGA94 Foundations of GAs Wkshop, Estes Park, Colorado(v7n26)Jul 30-Aug 3, 94
SAB94 3rd Intl Conf on Sim of Adaptive Behavior, Brighton(v7n11) Aug 8-12, 94
ECAI-94, 11th European Conference on AI, Amsterdam (v7n23)       Aug 8-12, 94
IEEE/Nagoya Univ WW Wkshp on Fuzzy Logic & NNs/GAs, Japan(v7n33) Aug 9-10, 94
ISRAM94 Special Session on Robotics & GAs, Maui, Hawaii (v7n22) Aug 14-17, 94
COMPLEX94 2nd Australian National Conference, Australia (v7n34) Sep 26-28, 94
PPSN-94 Parallel Problem Solving from Nature, Israel (v7n32)     Oct 9-14, 94

(Send announcements of other activities to GA-List@aic.nrl.navy.mil)

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From: econec@vax.ox.ac.uk
Date: Wed, 08 Dec 1993 13:19:37 +0000
Subject: GA Graph Extrapolation?

Dear GA Community (!),

I am currently working with a  GA to calculate Maximum Likelihood  Estimators.
(Those who remember my previous post, worry not, I will do the post on helpful
suggestions I received. Also apologies to Mr Gordillo who I couldn't get email
back to!)

My program is quite slow because it has to calculate big formulae to  estimate
fitness and I am  severely time limited on  the VAX here. As  a result I  have
been plotting scratch graphs of fitness against run number to get some idea of
"how much further I must go". Two thoughts occur to me:

1) Does anybody know  what functional form, if  any, pure theory suggests  for
this graph?  Has anybody  tried estimating  the best  fit to  extrapolate  for
really slow programs? Does  it work? (Its really  frustrating to wait an  hour
for a batch  job that ends  up only  producing correction in  the 6th  decimal
place but there's always a danger if  you stop that you'll miss a  significant
"increment".)

2) Given that what I (and almost  every GA article I have ever seen)  produces
are "step" graphs, is this telling us anything interesting about the  relative
importance of crossover and mutation? I have this intuition that in an "ideal"
GA  this  should  be  a  smooth  curve  and  the  "stepping"  effect   reveals
"bottlenecks" where a  good new  solution is sought  and, once  found, can  be
improved incrementally. Does this stepping  effect "detract" from attempts  to
fit a smooth curve to the results or does it "all come out in the wash"? Could
we use analysis of  the "steppiness" of the  graph to provide heuristic  hints
about our  operator frequencies  or is  it simply  a function  of the  problem
space?

These questions  are  very loose  and  I suppose  come  under the  heading  of
"STOPPING CONDITIONS". I  would be happy  to be  told that all  this has  been
worked out in  detail somewhere but  thought that because  it was very  much a
"non-theory" question, it might have missed consideration ...

All the best,

Edmund Chattoe

------------------------------

From: andrzej@helianthus.bot.astrouw.edu.pl (Andrzej Kierzek)
Date: Sat, 11 Dec 93 14:18:44 +0100
Subject: GA in Cluster Analysis

 We are searching for papers dealing with applications of GA in:
 	- Cluster Analysis,
	- Numerical Taxonomy,
	- Multivariate Data Analysis.
 We will be grateful for any information about it.

 			Andrzej Kierzek & Ireneusz Moraczewski
			Dept. of Plant Systematics & Geography
			Warsaw University, 00-478 Warsaw, Poland

------------------------------

From: ugur@vs6410.cc.boun.edu.tr (Ibrahim Ugur)
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 93 21:14:09 -0500
Subject: GAs in PROLOG

Hi!

Have you ever heard of any GA implementation in PROLOG to which I can access!
If you, please inform me about that.
Thanks

Ibrahim
at
Internet address : ugur@vs6410.cc.boun.edu.tr
Bitnet   address : uguri@trboun

------------------------------

From: greenwoo@lab.cc.wmich.edu (GREENWOOD GARRISON)
Date: Fri, 17 Dec 93 18:37:23 EST
Subject: Request for Info

Apparently there is available some software called
sga-cube -- software for GAs on the nCUBE.  Does
anyone have any experience with it?  If so, I'd
like to hear from you.

Garry Greenwood

garry.greenwood@wmich.edu
Western Michigan University
(616) 387-4063

------------------------------

From: mdorigo@ulb.ac.be (Marco DORIGO)
Date: Mon, 22 Nov 1993 10:45:21 +0100
Subject: Call for Papers: IEEE transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics

Call For Papers: 

Special issue of IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man and Cybernetics
(IEEE-SMC) on: 

Learning Approaches to Autonomous Robots Control. 
Guest Editor: Marco Dorigo 

Submission deadline: May 20, 1994. 

Recent research on control of autonomous robots (or agents) has
increasingly focused on the development and application of new learning
paradigms. This issue of robot control has been addressed in a number of
research areas including the following: 

- Reinforcement learning (Q-learning, Classifier systems, etc.). 
- Evolutionary Computation.
- Evolving neural nets. 
- Neurocontrol and neurodynamics.
- Adaptive fuzzy systems. 
- Artificial life. 

The aim of the special issue of IEEE-SMC is to draw together current
research on a variety of these learning techniques (used and developed in
some or all of the above research fields) which have been applied to real
robots' control, as well as to discuss the implications this research has
on the design and development of robots in general. This includes the
following (not exhaustive) sub-topics: 

- Learning approaches to stimulus-response robots. 
- Learning approaches to robots acting in real environments. 
- Supervised (that is, with a trainer) and unsupervised type of behavior
learning. 
- Hierarchical architectures for learning robots. 
- Trade-offs between learning and design.
- Interplay between reactive and reasoning type of robot activity in a
"learning perspective."
- Robustness of learning techniques to noisy environments and to unreliable
sensors and/or actuators. 
- Ethologically inspired learning architectures for autonomous robots. 
- Foundational analysis of interdependence among situated activity,
learning algorithms, and degree of environmental complexity.
- Cooperative learning robots.

Papers on research still in its "simulation" phase, that is, yet to be
implemented on real autonomous robots, will also be considered if it has
clear and relevant implications for still to come concrete realization. 

To be considered for the special issue, five copies of each paper must be
received by the editor at the address below by May 20, 1994. The first page
should include a descriptive title, the names and addresses of all authors,
a brief abstract, and salient keywords. Submissions will be carefully
refereed for technical contribution, originality of the approach, practical
significance, and clarity of presentation (according to the standard IEEE
Transactions criteria), as well as salience to the topic of the special
issue.
Notifications will be sent by September 15, 1994, and final versions of
accepted papers will be due two months later.

Expected publication is mid-1995.

Marco Dorigo (Editor) 
IRIDIA 
Universite' Libre de Bruxelles 
Avenue Franklin Roosvelt 50 
CP 194/6 1050 Bruxelles 
Belgium 
tel. +32-2-6503167 
fax +32-2-6502715 
mdorigo@ulb.ac.be. 


All prospective contributors should get in touch with the editor as soon as
possible, and in any case well before the submission deadline, in order to
receive more detailed information on the sort of research that the IEEE-SMC
special issue is expected to cover. Such responses will also help us with
the organization of reviews, and with last minute communications (such as
change of Editor's address).

Queries on any aspect of the above should also be directed to the above address.

Marco Dorigo, Ph.D.
IRIDIA
Universite Libre de Bruxelles
Avenue Franklin Roosvelt 50
CP 194/6
1050 Bruxelles
Belgium
mdorigo@ulb.ac.be

Tel. +32-2-6503167
Fax +32-2-6502715

------------------------------

From: David G Green <David.Green@anu.edu.au>
Date: Mon, 29 Nov 1993 11:31:31 +1100
Subject: COMPLEX'94

                        COMPLEX'94

         Second Australian National Conference

                      Sponsored by the
              University of Central Queensland
               Australian National University

                   September 26-28th, 1994
              University of Central Queensland
                   Rockhampton Queensland
                         Australia

          FIRST CIRCULAR AND CALL FOR PAPERS

The inaugural Australian National Conference on Complex
Systems was held at the Australian National University in
1992.  Recognising the need to maintain and stimulate
research interest in these topics the University of
Central Queensland is hosting the Second Australian
National Conference on Complex Systems in Rockhampton.

Rockhampton is situated on the Tropic of Capricorn in
Queensland on the east coast of Australia and is 35kms
from the Central Queensland Coast. It is within easy
access of tourist resorts including the resort island,
Great Keppel, the Central Queensland Hinterland, and the
Great Barrier Reef.

This first circular is intended to provide basic
information about the conference and to canvas expressions
of interest, both in attending and in presenting papers or
posters.  A second circular, to be distributed in late
January/early February, will provide details of keynote
speakers, the program, registration procedures, etc.

Please pass on this notice to interested colleagues.  For
further information contact the organisers (see below).

AIMS:

Complex systems are systems whose evolution is dominated
by non-linearity or interactions between their components.
Such systems may be very simple but reproduce very complex
phenomena.  Terms such as artificial life, biocomplexity,
chaos, criticality, fractals, learning systems, neural
networks, non-linear dynamics, parallel computation,
percolation, self-organization have become common place.
From this research has emerged many new paradigms,
cutting across traditional disciplines.

This conference seeks  to bring together researchers from
the Australasian region who are actively involved in
research in Complex systems for creative discussion, and
to provide an introduction to specialised topics for
people seeking to know further about the theoretical 
and practical aspects of research in Complex systems.

The theme of the conference "Mechanism of Adaptation in 
Natural, Man Made and Mathematical Systems", invites us to 
investigate  and question the dynamic processes in complex
systems,  and to compare our overall modelling processes
of natural systems.  Processes such as  evolution,
growth and learning are being investigated through genetic
algorithms, evolutionary programming and neural networks.
How well do these techniques perform and to what extent
do the fit an evolutionary paradigm.  It also raises the
underlying question: "How does order arise in complex
systems?"

PAPERS:

Original papers concerned with both theory and application
are solicited. The areas of interest include,
but are not limited to the following:

 *  Natural and Artificial Life
 *  Genetic algorithms
 *  Fractals, Chaos and Non-linear Dynamics
 *  Self-organisation
 *  Information and Control Systems
 *  Neural Networks
 *  Parallel and Emergent Computation.   
 *  Bio-Complexity

DATES:

Second Circular                   Jan  31, 1994
Third Circular                    Feb  14, 1994
Submission of Abstracts:          Mar  14, 1994
Notification of Acceptance:       May  16, 1994
Receipt of Camera-ready papers:   Jul  25, 1994

CONFERENCE ORGANIZATION:

The conference will open with advance registration and a
barbecue party on Sunday 25th September.

The conference fee of $285 ($130 students) will include
morning & afternoon teas and lunch on each day, the
opening barbecue, and the conference dinner.
Accommodation will be available on campus at the
University Residential College and at nearby motels within
walking distance of the University. The conference dinner
is to be held on Tuesday 27th September.

TUTORIALS AND WORKSHOPS:

It is planned to hold one or more introductory tutorials
on selected topics in complex systems on Sunday 25th
September.  The aim of these tutorials will be to
introduce participants to fundamental concepts in complex
systems and to provide them with practical experience.
Tentatively the topics covered will include genetic
algorithms, cellular automata, chaos, and fractals.  The
exact content will depend on demand.  If interested in
attending please indicate your preferences on the attached
expression of interest.   The number of places will be
strictly limited by facilities available.

On Wednesday advanced workshops may be held on specialised
topics if there is sufficient interest.
Suggestions/offers for advanced workshop topics are
encouraged.

There will be an additional fee for attendance at the
tutorials and workshops, which will include lunch and
refreshments.

SUBMISSION OF PAPERS:

Intending authors are requested to submit an extended
abstract of about 500 words, containing a clear, concise
statement of the significant results of the work.  Each
abstract  will be assessed by two referees.  All accepted
papers will be published in the conference proceedings.
Individual authors may be allocated to either an oral or
poster presentation, but contributions in both formats
will appear identically in the proceedings.  Copies of the
proceedings will be provided to participants at the
conference in hardcopy form.

LaTeX style files and other formating options will be
provided to authors of accepted papers.

ORGANISING COMMITTEE:

Conference Chairperson: Assoc Prof. Russel Stonier,
Department of Mathematics and Computing University of
Central Queensland Rockhampton Mail Centre 4702 QLD
Australia.  Tel. +61 79 309487 Fax: +61 79 309729 Email:
complex@ucq.edu.au

Technical Chairperson: Dr  Xing Huo Yu, Department of
Mathematics and Computing University of Central Queensland
Rockhampton Mail Centre 4702 QLD Australia.  Tel. +61 79
309865 Fax: +61 79 309729 Email: complex@ucq.edu.au

Members: 
Prof. J. Diederich, Queensland University of Technology; 
Prof. A.C. Tsoi, University of Queensland; 
Dr D. Green, Australian National University; 
Dr T. Bossomaier, Australian National University; 
Mr S. Smith, University of Central Queensland.


  -----------%< cut here %<-------------

                  COMPLEX'94

 Second Australian National Conference on Complex Systems

            EXPRESSION OF INTEREST


NAME:  ______________________________________________

ORGANIZATION:________________________________________
             ________________________________________

ADDRESS:    ________________________________________
            ________________________________________
            ________________________________________

TEL: /FAX:  ________________________________________

E-MAIL:    _________________________________________



[ ]  I am interested in attending COMPLEX'94.
     Please send me a registration form.

[ ]  I am interested in PRESENTING A PAPER and/or POSTER.
     Tentative title:
    ___________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________

    ___________________________________________________

[ ]  I am interested in ATTENDING A TUTORIAL.

    Preferences:  Genetic Algorithms             ______
                  Cellular Automata              ______
                  Chaos Theory                   ______
                  Fractals                       ______
                  Distributed Programming        ______

      Other (specify)    ______________________________


[ ]  I am interested in attending an advanced WORKSHOP.


[ ]  I am UNABLE TO ATTEND the conference but would like
     to be kept informed.


   -------------%< cut here %<------------------

------------------------------

From: Nick Radcliffe <njr@epcc.ed.ac.uk>
Date: Tue, 7 Dec 93 18:33:13 GMT
Subject: Call for Alpha and Beta Test Sites

RPL2: A Parallel Genetic Algorithms Language, Interpreter and Framework

Call for Alpha and Beta Test Sites

The Reproductive Plan Language 2 (RPL2) is an extensible interpreted
language for writing and using genetic algorithms and related evolutionary
computing paradigms.  The system and its predecessor have been applied to a
number of real-world applications including the retail dealership location,
stock-market tracking, pipeline multi-objective optimisation, TSP, neural
network topology optimisation, data-mining and gas network pipeline sizing.

The principal features of RPL2 are:

        o       support for arbitrary, user-defined representations.

        o       support for structured population models
                (island model, diffusion/cellular model)
                as well as hybrid models and unstructured
                (panmictic) populations.

        o       portability across a wide variety of serial and
                distributed-memory MIMD parallel platforms.

        o       automatic platform-independent parallelism using both data
                decomposition and task farming as appropriate.

        o       provision of standard libraries for representation-independent
                operators (selection, replacement, migration etc.)

        o       provision of some standard representations
                (binary string, variable-cardinality integer string,
                 fixed and variable-size sets)
                and associated representation-dependent operators

        o       modularity:  new repesentations and operators can be added in
                a coherent manner, allowing customised versions of the
                system to be developed.

        o       extensible interpreted language for easy experimentation
                and manipulation of reproductive plans.

We are soliciting alpha and beta test sites with experience in
evolutionary computing.   Test sites should be obviously be willing
to experiment with the system and give us their comments.

The release schedule is provisionally set as follows:

        Alpha release:          31st January 1994
        Beta release:           14th March 1994,
        General release:        2nd May 1994.

A compressed PostScript document describing RPL2 and the test procedure
in more detail is available by anonymous ftp from ftp.epcc.ed.ac.uk
in pub/rpl2.ps.Z

Questions or comments should be addressed to rpl2-support@epcc.ed.ac.uk.

Nicholas J Radcliffe and Patrick D Surry
Edinburgh Parallel Computing Centre

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End of Genetic Algorithms Digest
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