Checkpoint PowerPoint

1
Checkpoint PowerPoint
Fall Quarter 2007 COM SCI 194 Honors
Research Professor Amit Sahai Alexander Liu and
Eric Chang
2
Project Progress

• Using Java, we have finished coding what will be
  our software framework.
• We have been able to run scaled-down simulations
  on the framework.
• As of this moment, within the virtual Petri dish
  small numbers of creatures are moving around,
  eating and breeding.

3
Simulation Snapshot
In this example screenshot, the simulation began
with ten locations and four progenitor creatures,
numbered 1-4. After twenty iterations,
descendants of the fourth creature are visibly
plentiful (they can be identified as 41, 411,
4200, etc each additional digit denotes a
subsequent generation). Its success in this case
is due to a more aggressive energy policy
rather than a different reproductive
strategy. While the number of locations and
creatures are small at this point, scaling and
behavioral complexity would not be difficult as
the program is already built with that in mind.
4

• Achievement Assessment

Fall Quarter end Have a working software
framework within which we could implement our
experiments. This framework may have to be
modified further on as fit as we proceed. Winter
Quarter mid Have at least the core
experiments up and running within the software
model. Given unsatisfactory results, revise (and
rebuild) as needed. Otherwise, expand upon
existing project ideas in new directions. Winter
Quarter end Ideally, have concrete,
satisfactory results with the core experiments.
The software should be in its final stages and
able to simulate the experiments.
Overall we can say that we met the goal we set
for ourselves for this quarter. With our virtual
Petri dish up and running, we have a framework
with which we can proceed. Although specific
experiments have not yet been implemented, the
program has the capacity to handle them. Our
assessment is good in that we are fully on track,
but obviously much remains to be done, and the
plan is to stay the course by hitting the ground
running next quarter.