APPARATUS AND A METHOD FOR SOLVING PROBLEMS

摘要

A processor arrangement (2, 6, 11) is operable to provide an initial population of individuals each comprising a plurality of structural elements each comprising a plurality of functional components defining operations to be performed on at least one input to the functional component and then to: (i) activate each individual to cause the operations defined by the functional components of that individual to be performed to produce a result; (ii) determine from each result a fitness of the corresponding individual for providing a mechanism or program for providing a solution to the problem; (iii) produce a new generation of individuals by causing an evolutionary process to occur involving at least one structural element and at least one functional component; and then to repeat (i) to (iii) until either an individual of the current generation represents a suitable way, structure, mechanism or program for providing a solution to the problem or a predetermined number of generations have been evolved.