[W/K] :: artificial life

  Artificial Life
       
           (a-life) The study of synthetic
          systems which behave like natural living systems in some way.
          Artificial Life complements the traditional biological
          sciences concerned with the analysis of living organisms by
          attempting to create lifelike behaviours within computers and
          other artificial media.  Artificial Life can contribute to
          theoretical biology by modelling forms of life other than
          those which exist in nature.  It has applications in
          environmental and financial modelling and network
          communications.
       
          There are some interesting implementations of artificial life
          using strangely shaped blocks.  A video, probably by the
          company Artificial Creatures who build insect-like robots in
          Cambridge, MA (USA), has several mechanical implementations of
          artificial life forms.
       
          See also evolutionary computing, Life.
       
          [Christopher G. Langton (Ed.), "Artificial Life", Proceedings
          Volume VI, Santa Fe Institute Studies in the Sciences of
          Complexity.  Addison-Wesley, 1989].
       
          http://www.yahoo.com/Science/Artificial_Life/).html">Yahoo! (http://www.yahoo.com/Science/Artificial_Life/).
       
          http://alife.santafe.edu/).html">Santa Fe Institute (http://alife.santafe.edu/).
       
          The Avida Group
          (http://www.krl.caltech.edu/avida/Avida.html).
       
          (1995-02-21)