Noise and the pursuit of complexity: A study in evolutionary robotics

This paper describes a new approach for promoting the evolution of relatively complex behaviours in evolutionary robotics, based on the use of noise in simulation. A `homing navigation' behaviour is evolved (in simulation) for the Khepera mobile robot, and it is shown that high noise levels in the simulation promote the evolution of relatively complex behavioural and neural dynamics. It is also demonstrated that simulation noise can actually accelerate artificial evolution.