Evolved car racing

This simulated car is controlled by a neural network that has been trained by evolutionary algorithms (aka genetic algorithms). Its input are several rangefinder sensors, and outputs are speed and steering commands. No human knowledge has gone into designing the driving behaviour.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• ai
• evolution
• racing
• ga
• robotics

[billamu]

I notice it pre-emptively anticipates thenext waypoint. Is its intent to get around the course as quiclky as posibile? Also, how many iterations is this?

[togelius]

The objective to get around the track as fast as possible. This particular controller was evolved for 100 generations with a population of 100 and a standard evolution strategy; the controllers are based on neural networks being fed rangefinder wall sensors, speed and angle to the next way point. There are more details in the papers on my website:

julian dot togelius dot com

[togelius]

The lines are walls. This particular video was taken using Xvid on Suse/KDE. More videos to follow soon, where the car(s) bounce off walls etc.

[mpeniak]

Great job, well done!!!

[GBart]

I want to see a lot more work like this (I'd love to participate too) but with more "elbow room", like harder puzzles, bigger generations, more of them, and faster - all ONE massive algorithm constantly updated to solve all kinds of problems. Maybe even a Spore-like setup. I want to see how few constraints we can remove, and see just what AI can do if we let it go for millions of generation.

[yaifibar]

and maybe let the cars themselves evolve. add another wheel, get a little faster, develop better brakes, become more aerodynamic.

[ross817]

of course, even on the fastest cluster running a genetic algorithm for every npc in the game would take ages.

[DeimosSaturn]

You could probably work for a video game company. Apparently, the challenging part of designing driving games is designing AI for cars, especially in games with lots of terrain elements, for example, grand theft auto 4. We often see the non-player characters doing some very silly things making for decreased realism.

[SexyMelon]

Brilliant!

[neotropic9]

I was involved in a project using 4 completely autonomous robots with scoops to transport barrels through an area with obstacles. The robots were each restricted to their own zones and had to leave the barrels in specified drop off points.

[perastikosssss]

Cool stuff, lets use some Genetic Programming with multi-objective fitness functions to evolve interesting driving behaviours....

[AlecDickinson2007]

By the way, saw your interest in Borge, Im from Argentina!!

[AlecDickinson2007]

I have been researching alot and have found many alternatives to do this and to make this work. Finally I saw your video and couldnt believe the coincidence.

Well, hope we could exchange results some time!

My email is alecdickinson at hotmail dot com.

See ya!