An approach to biological computation: unicellular core-memory creatures evolved using genetic algorithms

A novel machine language genetic programming system that uses one-dimensional core memories is proposed and simulated. The core is compared to a biochemical reaction space, and in imitation of biological molecules, four types of data words (Membrane, Pure data, Operator, and Instruction) are prepared in the core. A program is represented by a sequence of Instructions. During execution of the core, Instructions are transcribed into corresponding Operators, and Operators modify, create, or transfer Pure data. The core is hierarchically partitioned into sections by the Membrane data, and the data transfer between sections by special channel Operators constitutes a tree data-flow structure among sections in the core. In the experiment, genetic algorithms are used to modify program information. A simple machine learning problem is prepared for the environment data set of the creatures (programs), and the fitness value of a creature is calculated from the Pure data excreted by the creature. Breeding of programs that can output the predefined answer is successfully carried out. Several future plans to extend this system are also discussed.