History of Genetic Algorithm

Idea of evolutionary computing was introduced in 1960s by I.Rechenberg in his work "Evolution strategies" ("Evolutionsstrategie", in original). His idea was then developed by other researchers. Genetic Algorithms (GA) were invented by John Holland and developed by him and his students and colleagues. This lead to Holland's book "Adaptation in Natural and Artificial Systems"

How GA differs from other optimization techniques?

1. They work with a coding of the parameter set, not the parameters themselves.
   
2. They search from a population of points in the problem domain, not a singular point.
   
3. They use payoff information as the objective function rather than derivatives of the problem or auxiliary knowledge.
   

Applications of Genetic Algorithms

• Automated design, including research on composite material design and multi-objective design of automotive components for crashworthiness, weight savings, and other characteristics.
  
• Automated design of mechatronic systems using bond graphs and genetic programming (NSF).
  
• Calculation of Bound States and Local Density Approximations.
  

Darwin’s Theory of Natural Selection

• Individuals within a species vary and these variations are inherited (at least in part) by their offspring.
• Organisms produce more offspring than can possibly survive.
• On average, offspring that vary most strongly in directions favoured by the environment will survive and reproduce. Favourable variation will therefore accumulate in populations by natural selection. Unfavourable variations will be “weeded out” by natural selection.

Darwin's theory of natural selection built on the work of many scientists before him but was revolutionary because he was the first to put it together into a coherent theory that included a mechanism for how evolution occurred (natural selection) and because his conclusions directly challenged the orthodox religious thinking of the time.^†This was because:

• Darwin argued that evolution has no purpose. Individuals "struggle" to increase the representation of their genes in future generations, and that is all.
• Darwin maintained that evolution has no direction. It does not lead inevitably to higher things or to man. Organisms become better adapted to their environments, and that is all.

References

†“Darwin's Theory of Natural Selection”, Gould, http://www.chss.iup.edu/anthropology/courses/TC110/Darwin.htm.

Related Posts:

• ABSTRACT
• INTRODUCTION
• JOB SHOP SCHEDULING
• Search Methods and Optimization Techniques
• Some other Optimisation methods
• Genetic Algorithm

an example - Darwin's Theory

Table of Contents

© 2006 Kumaravel & Project Team

---

If references link found broken see the below e-printed version of webpage

Note: e-printed version of the webpage, are just for the reference and it was not owned by blog author. It had be created using the Open Source PDFCreator, which is environment friendly to save paper.

---