GNU/Linux AI & Alife HOWTO
by John Eikenberry
v1.4, 23 June 2000
This howto mainly contains information about, and links to, various AI
related software libraries, applications, etc. that work on the
GNU/Linux platform. All of it is (at least) free for personal use. The
new master page for this document is
http://zhar.net/gnu-linux/howto/
______________________________________________________________________
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Purpose
1.2 Where to find this software
1.3 Updates and comments
1.4 Copyright/License
2. Traditional Artificial Intelligence
2.1 AI class/code libraries
2.2 AI software kits, applications, etc.
3. Connectionism
3.1 Connectionist class/code libraries
3.2 Connectionist software kits/applications
4. Evolutionary Computing
4.1 EC class/code libraries
4.2 EC software kits/applications
5. Alife & Complex Systems
5.1 Alife & CS class/code libraries
5.2 Alife & CS software kits, applications, etc.
6. Autonomous Agents
7. Programming languages
______________________________________________________________________
1. Introduction
1.1. Purpose
The GNU/Linux OS has evolved from its origins in hackerdom to a full
blown UNIX, capable of rivaling any commercial UNIX. It now provides
an inexpensive base to build a great workstation. It has shed its
hardware dependencies, having been ported to DEC Alphas, Sparcs,
PowerPCs, and many others. This potential speed boost along with its
networking support will make it great for workstation clusters. As a
workstation it allows for all sorts of research and development,
including artificial intelligence and artificial life.
The purpose of this Mini-Howto is to provide a source to find out
about various software packages, code libraries, and anything else
that will help someone get started working with (and find resources
for) artificial intelligence, artificial life, etc. All done with
GNU/Linux specifically in mind.
1.2. Where to find this software
All this software should be available via the net (ftp || http). The
links to where to find it will be provided in the description of each
package. There will also be plenty of software not covered on these
pages (which is usually platform independent) located on one of the
resources listed on the links section of the Master Site (given
above).
1.3. Updates and comments
If you find any mistakes, know of updates to one of the items below,
or have problems compiling and of the applications, please mail me at:
[email protected] and I'll see what I can do.
If you know of any AI/Alife applications, class libraries, etc. Please
email me about them. Include your name, ftp and/or http sites where
they can be found, plus a brief overview/commentary on the software
(this info would make things a lot easier on me... but don't feel
obligated ;).
I know that keeping this list up to date and expanding it will take
quite a bit of work. So please be patient (I do have other projects).
I hope you will find this document helpful.
1.4. Copyright/License
Copyright (c) 1996-2000 John A. Eikenberry
LICENSE
This document may be reproduced and distributed in whole or in part,
in any medium physical or electronic, provided that this license
notice is displayed in the reproduction. Commercial redistribution is
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provide updated documents.
A. REQUIREMENTS OF MODIFIED WORKS
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In addition it is requested (not required) that:
� The modifications (including deletions) be noted.
� The author be notified by email of the modification in advance of
redistribution, if an email address is provided in the document.
As a special exception, anthologies of LDP documents may include a
single copy of these license terms in a conspicuous location within
the anthology and replace other copies of this license with a
reference to the single copy of the license without the document being
considered "modified" for the purposes of this section.
Mere aggregation of LDP documents with other documents or programs on
the same media shall not cause this license to apply to those other
works.
All translations, derivative documents, or modified documents that
incorporate this document may not have more restrictive license terms
than these, except that you may require distributors to make the
resulting document available in source format.
2.
Traditional Artificial Intelligence
Traditional AI is based around the ideas of logic, rule systems,
linguistics, and the concept of rationality. At its roots are
programming languages such as Lisp and Prolog. Expert systems are the
largest successful example of this paradigm. An expert system
consists of a detailed knowledge base and a complex rule system to
utilize it. Such systems have been used for such things as medical
diagnosis support and credit checking systems.
2.1. AI class/code libraries
These are libraries of code or classes for use in programming within
the artificial intelligence field. They are not meant as stand alone
applications, but rather as tools for building your own applications.
ACL2
� Web site: www.telent.net/cliki/ACL2
ACL2 (A Computational Logic for Applicative Common Lisp) is a
theorem prover for industrial applications. It is both a
mathematical logic and a system of tools for constructing proofs
in the logic. ACL2 works with GCL (GNU Common Lisp).
AI Search II
� WEB site: www.bell-labs.com/topic/books/ooai-book/
Submitted by: Peter M. Bouthoorn
Basically, the library offers the programmer a set of search
algorithms that may be used to solve all kind of different
problems. The idea is that when developing problem solving
software the programmer should be able to concentrate on the
representation of the problem to be solved and should not need
to bother with the implementation of the search algorithm that
will be used to actually conduct the search. This idea has been
realized by the implementation of a set of search classes that
may be incorporated in other software through C++'s features of
derivation and inheritance. The following search algorithms
have been implemented:
- depth-first tree and graph search. - breadth-first tree and
graph search. - uniform-cost tree and graph search. - best-
first search. - bidirectional depth-first tree and graph
search. - bidirectional breadth-first tree and graph search. -
AND/OR depth tree search. - AND/OR breadth tree search.
This library has a corresponding book, "Object-Oriented
Artificial Instelligence, Using C++".
Chess In Lisp (CIL)
� FTP site: chess.onenet.net/pub/chess/uploads/projects/
The CIL (Chess In Lisp) foundation is a Common Lisp
implementaion of all the core functions needed for development
of chess applications. The main purpose of the CIL project is
to get AI researchers interested in using Lisp to work in the
chess domain.
DAI
� Web site: starship.skyport.net/crew/gandalf/DNET/AI
A library for the Python programming language that provides an
object oriented interface to the CLIPS expert system tool. It
includes an interface to COOL (CLIPS Object Oriented Language)
that allows:
� Investigate COOL classes
� Create and manipulate with COOL instances
� Manipulate with COOL message-handler's
� Manipulate with Modules
Nyquist
� Web site:
www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/music/web/music.html
The Computer Music Project at CMU is developing computer music
and interactive performance technology to enhance human musical
experience and creativity. This interdisciplinary effort draws
on Music Theory, Cognitive Science, Artificial Intelligence and
Machine Learning, Human Computer Interaction, Real-Time Systems,
Computer Graphics and Animation, Multimedia, Programming
Languages, and Signal Processing. A paradigmatic example of
these interdisciplinary efforts is the creation of interactive
performances that couple human musical improvisation with
intelligent computer agents in real-time.
PDKB
� Web site: lynx.eaze.net/~pdkb/web/
� SourceForge site: sourceforge.net/project/?group_id=1449
Public Domain Knowledge Bank (PDKB) is an Artificial
Intelligence Knowledge Bank of common sense rules and facts. It
is based on the Cyc Upper Ontology and the MELD language.
Python Fuzzy Logic Module
� FTP site:
ftp://ftp.csh.rit.edu/pub/members/retrev/
A simple python module for fuzzy logic. The file is 'fuz.tar.gz'
in this directory. The author plans to also write a simple
genetic algorithm and a neural net library as well. Check the
00_index file in this directory for release info.
Screamer
� Web site: www.cis.upenn.edu/~screamer-tools/home.html
Screamer is an extension of Common Lisp that adds support for
nondeterministic programming. Screamer consists of two levels.
The basic nondeterministic level adds support for backtracking
and undoable side effects. On top of this nondeterministic
substrate, Screamer provides a comprehensive constraint
programming language in which one can formulate and solve mixed
systems of numeric and symbolic constraints. Together, these two
levels augment Common Lisp with practically all of the
functionality of both Prolog and constraint logic programming
languages such as CHiP and CLP(R). Furthermore, Screamer is
fully integrated with Common Lisp. Screamer programs can coexist
and interoperate with other extensions to Common Lisp such as
CLOS, CLIM and Iterate.
ThoughtTreasure
� Web site: www.signiform.com/tt/htm/tt.htm
ThoughtTreasure is a project to create a database of commonsense
rules for use in any application. It consists of a database of a
little over 100K rules and a C API to integrate it with your
applications. Python, Perl, Java and TCL wrappers are already
available.
2.2.
AI software kits, applications, etc.
These are various applications, software kits, etc. meant for research
in the field of artificial intelligence. Their ease of use will vary,
as they were designed to meet some particular research interest more
than as an easy to use commercial package.
ASA - Adaptive Simulated Annealing
� Web site: www.ingber.com/#ASA-CODE
� FTP site: ftp.ingber.com/
ASA (Adaptive Simulated Annealing) is a powerful global
optimization C-code algorithm especially useful for nonlinear
and/or stochastic systems.
ASA is developed to statistically find the best global fit of a
nonlinear non-convex cost-function over a D-dimensional space.
This algorithm permits an annealing schedule for 'temperature' T
decreasing exponentially in annealing-time k, T = T_0 exp(-c
k^1/D). The introduction of re-annealing also permits
adaptation to changing sensitivities in the multi-dimensional
parameter-space. This annealing schedule is faster than fast
Cauchy annealing, where T = T_0/k, and much faster than
Boltzmann annealing, where T = T_0/ln k.
Babylon
� FTP site: ftp.gmd.de/gmd/ai-research/Software/Babylon/
BABYLON is a modular, configurable, hybrid environment for
developing expert systems. Its features include objects, rules
with forward and backward chaining, logic (Prolog) and
constraints. BABYLON is implemented and embedded in Common Lisp.
CLEARS
� Web site: www.coli.uni-sb.de/~clears/
The CLEARS system is an interactive graphical environment for
computational semantics. The tool allows exploration and
comparison of different semantic formalisms, and their
interaction with syntax. This enables the user to get an idea of
the range of possibilities of semantic construction, and also
where there is real convergence between theories.
CLIG
� Web site: www.ags.uni-sb.de/~konrad/clig.html
CLIG is an interactive, extendible grapher for visualizing
linguistic data structures like trees, feature structures,
Discourse Representation Structures (DRS), logical formulas etc.
All of these can be freely mixed and embedded into each other.
The grapher has been designed both to be stand-alone and to be
used as an add-on for linguistic applications which display
their output in a graphical manner.
CLIPS
� Web site: www.jsc.nasa.gov/~clips/CLIPS.html
� FTP site: cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs.cmu.edu/project/ai-
repository/ai/areas/expert/systems/clips
CLIPS is a productive development and delivery expert system
tool which provides a complete environment for the construction
of rule and/or object based expert systems.
CLIPS provides a cohesive tool for handling a wide variety of
knowledge with support for three different programming
paradigms: rule-based, object-oriented and procedural. Rule-
based programming allows knowledge to be represented as
heuristics, or "rules of thumb," which specify a set of actions
to be performed for a given situation. Object-oriented
programming allows complex systems to be modeled as modular
components (which can be easily reused to model other systems or
to create new components). The procedural programming
capabilities provided by CLIPS are similar to capabilities found
in languages such as C, Pascal, Ada, and LISP.
EMA-XPS - A Hybrid Graphic Expert System Shell
� Web site: wmwap1.math.uni-wuppertal.de:80/EMA-XPS/
EMA-XPS is a hybrid graphic expert system shell based on the
ASCII-oriented shell Babylon 2.3 of the German National Research
Center for Computer Sciences (GMD). In addition to Babylon's AI-
power (object oriented data representation, forward and backward
chained rules - collectible into sets, horn clauses, and
constraint networks) a graphic interface based on the X11 Window
System and the OSF/Motif Widget Library has been provided.
FOOL & FOX
� FTP site: ntia.its.bldrdoc.gov/pub/fuzzy/prog/
FOOL stands for the Fuzzy Organizer OLdenburg. It is a result
from a project at the University of Oldenburg. FOOL is a
graphical user interface to develop fuzzy rulebases. FOOL will
help you to invent and maintain a database that specifies the
behavior of a fuzzy-controller or something like that.
FOX is a small but powerful fuzzy engine which reads this
database, reads some input values and calculates the new control
value.
FUF and SURGE
� Web site: www.dfki.de/lt/registry/generation/fuf.html
� FTP site: ftp.cs.columbia.edu/pub/fuf/
FUF is an extended implementation of the formalism of functional
unification grammars (FUGs) introduced by Martin Kay specialized
to the task of natural language generation. It adds the
following features to the base formalism:
� Types and inheritance.
� Extended control facilities (goal freezing, intelligent
backtracking).
� Modular syntax.
These extensions allow the development of large grammars which
can be processed efficiently and can be maintained and
understood more easily. SURGE is a large syntactic realization
grammar of English written in FUF. SURGE is developed to serve
as a black box syntactic generation component in a larger
generation system that encapsulates a rich knowledge of English
syntax. SURGE can also be used as a platform for exploration of
grammar writing with a generation perspective.
The Grammar Workbench
� Web site: www.cs.kun.nl/agfl/GWB.html
The Grammar Workbench, or GWB for short, is an environment for
the comfortable development of Affix Grammars in the AGFL-
formalism. Its purposes are:
� to allow the user to input, inspect and modify a grammar;
� to perform consistency checks on the grammar;
� to compute grammar properties;
� to generate example sentences;
� to assist in performing grammar transformations.
GSM Suite
� Web site: www.slip.net/~andrewm/gsm/
The GSM Suite is a set of programs for using Finite State
Machines in a graphical fashion. The suite consists of programs
that edit, compile, and print state machines. Included in the
suite is an editor program, gsmedit, a compiler, gsm2cc, that
produces a C++ implementation of a state machine, a PostScript
generator, gsm2ps, and two other minor programs. GSM is licensed
under the GNU Public License and so is free for your use under
the terms of that license.
Illuminator
� Web site:
documents.cfar.umd.edu/resources/source/illuminator.html
Illuminator is a toolset for developing OCR and Image
Understanding applications. Illuminator has two major parts: a
library for representing, storing and retrieving OCR
information, heretofore called dafslib, and an X-Windows "DAFS"
file viewer, called illum. Illuminator and DAFS lib were
designed to supplant existing OCR formats and become a standard
in the industry. They particularly are extensible to handle more
than just English.
The features of this release:
� 5 magnification levels for images
� flagged characters and words
� unicode support -- American, British, French, German, Greek,
Italian, MICR, Norwegian, Russian, Spanish, Swedish, keyboards
� reads DAFS, TIFF's, PDA's (image only)
� save to DAFS, ASCII/UTF or Unicode
� Entity Viewer - shows properties, character choices, bounding
boxes image fragment for a selected entity, change type, change
content, hierarchy mode
Jess, the Java Expert System Shell
� Web site: herzberg.ca.sandia.gov/jess/
Jess is a clone of the popular CLIPS expert system shell written
entirely in Java. With Jess, you can conveniently give your
applets the ability to 'reason'. Jess is compatible with all
versions of Java starting with version 1.0.2. Jess implements
the following constructs from CLIPS: defrules, deffunctions,
defglobals, deffacts, and deftemplates.
learn
� FTP site: sunsite.unc.edu/pub/Linux/apps/cai/
Learn is a vocable learning program with memory model.
Otter: An Automated Deduction System
� Web site: www-unix.mcs.anl.gov/AR/otter/
Our current automated deduction system Otter is designed to
prove theorems stated in first-order logic with equality.
Otter's inference rules are based on resolution and
paramodulation, and it includes facilities for term rewriting,
term orderings, Knuth-Bendix completion, weighting, and
strategies for directing and restricting searches for proofs.
Otter can also be used as a symbolic calculator and has an
embedded equational programming system.
NICOLE
� Web site: nicole.sourceforge.net
It is an attempt to simulate a conversation by learning how
words are related to other words. A Human communicates with
NICOLE via the keyboard and NICOLE responds back with its own
sentences which are automatically generated, based on what
NICOLE has stored in it's database. Each new sentence that has
been typed in, and NICOLE doesn't know about it, it is included
into NICOLE's database, thus extending the knowledge base of
NICOLE.
PVS
� Web site: pvs.csl.sri.com/
PVS is a verification system: that is, a specification language
integrated with support tools and a theorem prover. It is
intended to capture the state-of-the-art in mechanized formal
methods and to be sufficiently rugged that it can be used for
significant applications. PVS is a research prototype: it
evolves and improves as we develop or apply new capabilities,
and as the stress of real use exposes new requirements.
RIPPER
� Web site: www.research.att.com/~wcohen/ripperd.html
Ripper is a system for fast effective rule induction. Given a
set of data, Ripper will learn a set of rules that will predict
the patterns in the data. Ripper is written in ASCI C and comes
with documentation and some sample problems.
SNePS
� Web site: www.cs.buffalo.edu/pub/sneps/WWW/
� FTP site: ftp.cs.buffalo.edu/pub/sneps/
The long-term goal of The SNePS Research Group is the design and
construction of a natural-language-using computerized cognitive
agent, and carrying out the research in artificial intelligence,
computational linguistics, and cognitive science necessary for
that endeavor. The three-part focus of the group is on knowledge
representation, reasoning, and natural-language understanding
and generation. The group is widely known for its development of
the SNePS knowledge representation/reasoning system, and Cassie,
its computerized cognitive agent.
Soar
� Web site: bigfoot.eecs.umich.edu/~soar/
� FTP site: cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/soar/public/Soar6/
Soar has been developed to be a general cognitive architecture.
We intend ultimately to enable the Soar architecture to:
� work on the full range of tasks expected of an intelligent
agent, from highly routine to extremely difficult, open-ended
problems
� represent and use appropriate forms of knowledge, such as
procedural, declarative, episodic, and possibly iconic
� employ the full range of problem solving methods
� interact with the outside world and
� learn about all aspects of the tasks and its performance on
them.
In other words, our intention is for Soar to support all the
capabilities required of a general intelligent agent.
http://wwwis.cs.utwente.nl:8080/ tcm/index.html
TCM
� Web site: wwwis.cs.utwente.nl:8080/~tcm/index.html
� FTP site: ftp.cs.vu.nl/pub/tcm/
TCM (Toolkit for Conceptual Modeling) is our suite of graphical
editors. TCM contains graphical editors for Entity-Relationship
diagrams, Class-Relationship diagrams, Data and Event Flow
diagrams, State Transition diagrams, Jackson Process Structure
diagrams and System Network diagrams, Function Refinement trees
and various table editors, such as a Function-Entity table
editor and a Function Decomposition table editor. TCM is easy
to use and performs numerous consistency checks, some of them
immediately, some of them upon request.
WEKA
� Web site: lucy.cs.waikato.ac.nz/~ml/
WEKA (Waikato Environment for Knowledge Analysis) is an state-
of-the-art facility for applying machine learning techniques to
practical problems. It is a comprehensive software "workbench"
that allows people to analyse real-world data. It integrates
different machine learning tools within a common framework and a
uniform user interface. It is designed to support a "simplicity-
first" methodology, which allows users to experiment
interactively with simple machine learning tools before looking
for more complex solutions.
3. Connectionism
Connectionism is a technical term for a group of related techniques.
These techniques include areas such as Artificial Neural Networks,
Semantic Networks and a few other similar ideas. My present focus is
on neural networks (though I am looking for resources on the other
techniques). Neural networks are programs designed to simulate the
workings of the brain. They consist of a network of small
mathematical-based nodes, which work together to form patterns of
information. They have tremendous potential and currently seem to be
having a great deal of success with image processing and robot
control.
3.1. Connectionist class/code libraries
These are libraries of code or classes for use in programming within
the Connectionist field. They are not meant as stand alone
applications, but rather as tools for building your own applications.
ANSI-C Neural Networks
� Web site: www.geocities.com/CapeCanaveral/1624/
This site contains ANSC-C source code for 8 types of neural
nets, including:
� Adaline Network
� Backpropagation
� Hopfield Model
� (BAM) Bidirectional Associative Memory
� Boltzmann Machine
� Counterpropagation
� (SOM) Self-Organizing Map
� (ART1) Adaptive Resonance Theory
They were designed to help turn the theory of a particular
network model into the design for a simulator implementation ,
and to help with embeding an actual application into a
particular network model.
BELIEF
� Web site: www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/ai-
repository/ai/areas/reasonng/probabl/belief/
BELIEF is a Common Lisp implementation of the Dempster and Kong
fusion and propagation algorithm for Graphical Belief Function
Models and the Lauritzen and Spiegelhalter algorithm for
Graphical Probabilistic Models. It includes code for
manipulating graphical belief models such as Bayes Nets and
Relevance Diagrams (a subset of Influence Diagrams) using both
belief functions and probabilities as basic representations of
uncertainty. It uses the Shenoy and Shafer version of the
algorithm, so one of its unique features is that it supports
both probability distributions and belief functions. It also
has limited support for second order models (probability
distributions on parameters).
bpnn.py
� Web site: www.enme.ucalgary.ca/~nascheme/python/
A simple back-propogation ANN in Python.
CONICAL
� Web site: strout.net/conical/
CONICAL is a C++ class library for building simulations common
in computational neuroscience. Currently its focus is on
compartmental modeling, with capabilities similar to GENESIS and
NEURON. A model neuron is built out of compartments, usually
with a cylindrical shape. When small enough, these open-ended
cylinders can approximate nearly any geometry. Future classes
may support reaction-diffusion kinetics and more. A key feature
of CONICAL is its cross-platform compatibility; it has been
fully co-developed and tested under Unix, DOS, and Mac OS.
IDEAL
� Web site: www.rpal.rockwell.com/ideal.html
IDEAL is a test bed for work in influence diagrams and Bayesian
networks. It contains various inference algorithms for belief
networks and evaluation algorithms for influence diagrams. It
contains facilities for creating and editing influence diagrams
and belief networks.
IDEAL is written in pure Common Lisp and so it will run in
Common Lisp on any platform. The emphasis in writing IDEAL has
been on code clarity and providing high level programming
abstractions. It thus is very suitable for experimental
implementations which need or extend belief network technology.
At the highest level, IDEAL can be used as a subroutine library
which provides belief network inference and influence diagram
evaluation as a package. The code is documented in a detailed
manual and so it is also possible to work at a lower level on
extensions of belief network methods.
IDEAL comes with an optional graphic interface written in CLIM.
If your Common Lisp also has CLIM, you can run the graphic
interface.
Matrix Class
� FTP site: ftp.cs.ucla.edu/pub/
A simple, fast, efficient C++ Matrix class designed for
scientists and engineers. The Matrix class is well suited for
applications with complex math algorithms. As an demonstration
of the Matrix class, it was used to implement the backward error
propagation algorithm for a multi-layer feed-forward artificial
neural network.
nunu
� Web site: ruby.ddiworld.com/jreed/web/software/nn.html
nunu is a multi-layered, scriptable, back-propagation neural
network. It is build to be used for intensive computation
problems scripted in shell scripts. It is written in C++ using
the STL. nn is based on material from the "Introduction to the
Theory of Neural Computation" by John Hertz, Anders Krogh, and
Richard G. Palmer, chapter 6.
Pulcinella
� Web site: iridia.ulb.ac.be/pulcinella/Welcome.html
Pulcinella is written in CommonLisp, and appears as a library of
Lisp functions for creating, modifying and evaluating valuation
systems. Alternatively, the user can choose to interact with
Pulcinella via a graphical interface (only available in Allegro
CL). Pulcinella provides primitives to build and evaluate
uncertainty models according to several uncertainty calculi,
including probability theory, possibility theory, and Dempster-
Shafer's theory of belief functions; and the possibility theory
by Zadeh, Dubois and Prade's. A User's Manual is available on
request.
S-ElimBel
� Web site (???): www.spaces.uci.edu/thiery/elimbel/
S-ElimBel is an algorithm that computes the belief in a Bayesian
network, implemented in MIT-Scheme. This algorithm has the
particularity of being rather easy to understand. Moreover, one
can apply it to any kind of Bayesian network - it being singly
connected or muliply connected. It is, however, less powerful
than the standard algorithm of belief propagation. Indeed, the
computation has to be reconducted entirely for each new evidence
added to the network. Also, one needs to run the algorithm as
many times as one has nodes for which the belief is wanted.
Software for Flexible Bayesian Modeling
� Web site: www.cs.utoronto.ca/~radford/fbm.software.html
This software implements flexible Bayesian models for regression
and classification applications that are based on multilayer
perceptron neural networks or on Gaussian processes. The
implementation uses Markov chain Monte Carlo methods. Software
modules that support Markov chain sampling are included in the
distribution, and may be useful in other applications.
Spiderweb2
� Web site: www.cs.nyu.edu/~klap7794/spiderweb2.html
A C++ artificial neual net library. Spiderweb2 is a complete
rewrite of the original Spiderweb library, it has grown into a
much more flexible and object-oriented system. The biggest
change is that each neuron object is responsible for its own
activations and updates, with the network providing only the
scheduling aspect. This is a very powerful change, and it allows
easy modification and experimentation with various network
architectures and neuron types.
Symbolic Probabilistic Inference (SPI)
� FTP site: ftp.engr.orst.edu/pub/dambrosi/spi/
� Paper (ijar-94.ps): ftp.engr.orst.edu/pub/dambrosi/
Contains Common Lisp function libraries to implement SPI type
baysean nets. Documentation is very limited. Features:
� Probabilities, Local Expression Language Utilities, Explanation,
Dynamic Models, and a TCL/TK based GUI.
TresBel
� FTP site: iridia.ulb.ac.be/pub/hongxu/software/
Libraries containing (Allegro) Common Lisp code for Belief
Functions (aka. Dempster-Shafer evidential reasoning) as a
representation of uncertainty. Very little documentation. Has a
limited GUI.
Various (C++) Neural Networks
� Web site: www.dontveter.com/nnsoft/nnsoft.html
Example neural net codes from the book, The Pattern
Recognition Basics of AI. These are simple example codes of
these various neural nets. They work well as a good starting
point for simple experimentation and for learning what the code
is like behind the simulators. The types of networks available
on this site are: (implemented in C++)
� The Backprop Package
� The Nearest Neighbor Algorithms
� The Interactive Activation Algorithm
� The Hopfield and Boltzman machine Algorithms
� The Linear Pattern Classifier
� ART I
� Bi-Directional Associative Memory
� The Feedforward Counter-Propagation Network
3.2.
Connectionist software kits/applications
These are various applications, software kits, etc. meant for research
in the field of Connectionism. Their ease of use will vary, as they
were designed to meet some particular research interest more than as
an easy to use commercial package.
Aspirin - MIGRAINES
(am6.tar.Z on ftp site)
� FTP site: sunsite.unc.edu/pub/academic/computer-science/neural-
networks/programs/Aspirin/
The software that we are releasing now is for creating, and
evaluating, feed-forward networks such as those used with the
backpropagation learning algorithm. The software is aimed both
at the expert programmer/neural network researcher who may wish
to tailor significant portions of the system to his/her precise
needs, as well as at casual users who will wish to use the
system with an absolute minimum of effort.
DDLab
� Web site: www.santafe.edu/~wuensch/ddlab.html
� FTP site: ftp.santafe.edu/pub/wuensch/
DDLab is an interactive graphics program for research into the
dynamics of finite binary networks, relevant to the study of
complexity, emergent phenomena, neural networks, and aspects of
theoretical biology such as gene regulatory networks. A network
can be set up with any architecture between regular CA (1d or
2d) and "random Boolean networks" (networks with arbitrary
connections and heterogeneous rules). The network may also have
heterogeneous neighborhood sizes.
GENESIS
� Web site: www.bbb.caltech.edu/GENESIS/
� FTP site: genesis.bbb.caltech.edu/pub/genesis/
GENESIS (short for GEneral NEural SImulation System) is a
general purpose simulation platform which was developed to
support the simulation of neural systems ranging from complex
models of single neurons to simulations of large networks made
up of more abstract neuronal components. GENESIS has provided
the basis for laboratory courses in neural simulation at both
Caltech and the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA,
as well as several other institutions. Most current GENESIS
applications involve realistic simulations of biological neural
systems. Although the software can also model more abstract
networks, other simulators are more suitable for backpropagation
and similar connectionist modeling.
JavaBayes
� Web site: www.cs.cmu.edu/People/javabayes/index.html/
The JavaBayes system is a set of tools, containing a graphical
editor, a core inference engine and a parser. JavaBayes can
produce:
� the marginal distribution for any variable in a network.
� the expectations for univariate functions (for example, expected
value for variables).
� configurations with maximum a posteriori probability.
� configurations with maximum a posteriori expectation for
univariate functions.
Jbpe
� Web site: cs.felk.cvut.cz/~koutnij/studium/jbpe.html
Jbpe is a back-propagation neural network editor/simulator.
Features
� Standart back-propagation networks creation.
� Saving network as a text file, which can be edited and loaded
back.
� Saving/loading binary file
� Learning from a text file (with structure specified below),
number of learning periods / desired network energy can be
specified as a criterion.
� Network recall
Neural Network Generator
� Web site: www.idsia.ch/~rafal/research.html
� FTP site: >ftp.idsia.ch/pub/rafal
The Neural Network Generator is a genetic algorithm for the
topological optimization of feedforward neural networks. It
implements the Semantic Changing Genetic Algorithm and the Unit-
Cluster Model. The Semantic Changing Genetic Algorithm is an
extended genetic algorithm that allows fast dynamic adaptation
of the genetic coding through population analysis. The Unit-
Cluster Model is an approach to the construction of modular
feedforward networks with a ''backbone'' structure.
NOTE: To compile this on Linux requires one change in the
Makefiles. You will need to change '-ltermlib' to '-ltermcap'.
Neureka ANS (nn/xnn)
� Web site: www.bgif.no/neureka/
� FTP site: ftp.ii.uib.no/pub/neureka/
nn is a high-level neural network specification language. The
current version is best suited for feed-forward nets, but
recurrent models can and have been implemented, e.g. Hopfield
nets, Jordan/Elman nets, etc. In nn, it is easy to change
network dynamics. The nn compiler can generate C code or
executable programs (so there must be a C compiler available),
with a powerful command line interface (but everything may also
be controlled via the graphical interface, xnn). It is possible
for the user to write C routines that can be called from inside
the nn specification, and to use the nn specification as a
function that is called from a C program. Please note that no
programming is necessary in order to use the network models that
come with the system (`netpack').
xnn is a graphical front end to networks generated by the nn
compiler, and to the compiler itself. The xnn graphical
interface is intuitive and easy to use for beginners, yet
powerful, with many possibilities for visualizing network data.
NOTE: You have to run the install program that comes with this
to get the license key installed. It gets put (by default) in
/usr/lib. If you (like myself) want to install the package
somewhere other than in the /usr directory structure (the
install program gives you this option) you will have to set up
some environmental variables (NNLIBDIR & NNINCLUDEDIR are
required). You can read about these (and a few other optional
variables) in appendix A of the documentation (pg 113).
NEURON
� Web site: www.neuron.yale.edu/neuron.html
� FTP site: ftp.neuron.yale.edu/neuron/unix/
NEURON is an extensible nerve modeling and simulation program.
It allows you to create complex nerve models by connecting
multiple one-dimensional sections together to form arbitrary
cell morphologies, and allows you to insert multiple membrane
properties into these sections (including channels, synapses,
ionic concentrations, and counters). The interface was designed
to present the neural modeler with a intuitive environment and
hide the details of the numerical methods used in the
simulation.
PDP++
� Web site: www.cnbc.cmu.edu/PDP++/
� FTP site (US): cnbc.cmu.edu/pub/pdp++/
� FTP site (Europe): unix.hensa.ac.uk/mirrors/pdp++/
As the field of Connectionist modeling has grown, so has the
need for a comprehensive simulation environment for the
development and testing of Connectionist models. Our goal in
developing PDP++ has been to integrate several powerful software
development and user interface tools into a general purpose
simulation environment that is both user friendly and user
extensible. The simulator is built in the C++ programming
language, and incorporates a state of the art script interpreter
with the full expressive power of C++. The graphical user
interface is built with the Interviews toolkit, and allows full
access to the data structures and processing modules out of
which the simulator is built. We have constructed several useful
graphical modules for easy interaction with the structure and
the contents of neural networks, and we've made it possible to
change and adapt many things. At the programming level, we have
set things up in such a way as to make user extensions as
painless as possible. The programmer creates new C++ objects,
which might be new kinds of units or new kinds of processes;
once compiled and linked into the simulator, these new objects
can then be accessed and used like any other.
RNS
� Web site: www.cs.cmu.edu/afs/cs/project/ai-
repository/ai/areas/neural/systems/rns/
RNS (Recurrent Network Simulator) is a simulator for recurrent
neural networks. Regular neural networks are also supported. The
program uses a derivative of the back-propagation algorithm, but
also includes other (not that well tested) algorithms.
Features include
� freely choosable connections, no restrictions besides memory or
CPU constraints
� delayed links for recurrent networks
� fixed values or thresholds can be specified for weights
� (recurrent) back-propagation, Hebb, differential Hebb, simulated
annealing and more
� patterns can be specified with bits, floats, characters,
numbers, and random bit patterns with Hamming distances can be
chosen for you
� user definable error functions
� output results can be used without modification as input
Simple Neural Net (in Python)
� Web site: starship.python.net/crew/amk/unmaintained/
Simple neural network code, which implements a class for 3-level
networks (input, hidden, and output layers). The only learning
rule implemented is simple backpropagation. No documentation (or
even comments) at all, because this is simply code that I use to
experiment with. Includes modules containing sample datasets
from Carl G. Looney's NN book. Requires the Numeric extensions.
SCNN
� Web site: apx00.physik.uni-frankfurt.de/e_ag_rt/SCNN/
SCNN is an universal simulating system for Cellular Neural
Networks (CNN). CNN are analog processing neural networks with
regular and local interconnections, governed by a set of
nonlinear ordinary differential equations. Due to their local
connectivity, CNN are realized as VLSI chips, which operates at
very high speed.
Semantic Networks in Python
� Web site: strout.net/info/coding/python/ai/index.html
The semnet.py module defines several simple classes for building
and using semantic networks. A semantic network is a way of
representing knowledge, and it enables the program to do simple
reasoning with very little effort on the part of the programmer.
The following classes are defined:
� Entity: This class represents a noun; it is something which can
be related to other things, and about which you can store facts.
� Relation: A Relation is a type of relationship which may exist
between two entities. One special relation, "IS_A", is
predefined because it has special meaning (a sort of logical
inheritance).
� Fact: A Fact is an assertion that a relationship exists between
two entities.
With these three object types, you can very quickly define
knowledge about a set of objects, and query them for logical
conclusions.
SNNS
� Web site: www.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/ipvr/bv/projekte/snns/
� FTP site: ftp.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/pub/SNNS/
Stuttgart Neural Net Simulator (version 4.1). An awesome neural
net simulator. Better than any commercial simulator I've seen.
The simulator kernel is written in C (it's fast!). It supports
over 20 different network architectures, has 2D and 3D X-based
graphical representations, the 2D GUI has an integrated network
editor, and can generate a separate NN program in C. SNNS is
very powerful, though a bit difficult to learn at first. To help
with this it comes with example networks and tutorials for many
of the architectures. ENZO, a supplementary system allows you
to evolve your networks with genetic algorithms.
There is a debian package of SNNS available. So just get it (and
use alien to convert it to RPM if you need to).
SPRLIB/ANNLIB
� Web site: www.ph.tn.tudelft.nl/~sprlib/
SPRLIB (Statistical Pattern Recognition Library) was developed
to support the easy construction and simulation of pattern
classifiers. It consist of a library of functions (written in C)
that can be called from your own program. Most of the well-known
classifiers are present (k-nn, Fisher, Parzen, ....), as well as
error estimation and dataset generation routines.
ANNLIB (Artificial Neural Networks Library) is a neural network
simulation library based on the data architecture laid down by
SPRLIB. The library contains numerous functions for creating,
training and testing feed-forward networks. Training algorithms
include back-propagation, pseudo-Newton, Levenberg-Marquardt,
conjugate gradient descent, BFGS.... Furthermore, it is possible
- due to the datastructures' general applicability - to build
Kohonen maps and other more exotic network architectures using
the same data types.
TOOLDIAG
� Web site: www.inf.ufes.br/~thomas/www/home/tooldiag.html
� FTP site: ftp.inf.ufes.br/pub/tooldiag/
TOOLDIAG is a collection of methods for statistical pattern
recognition. The main area of application is classification. The
application area is limited to multidimensional continuous
features, without any missing values. No symbolic features
(attributes) are allowed. The program in implemented in the 'C'
programming language and was tested in several computing
environments.
4.
Evolutionary Computing
Evolutionary computing is actually a broad term for a vast array of
programming techniques, including genetic algorithms, complex adaptive
systems, evolutionary programming, etc. The main thrust of all these
techniques is the idea of evolution. The idea that a program can be
written that will evolve toward a certain goal. This goal can be
anything from solving some engineering problem to winning a game.
4.1.
EC class/code libraries
These are libraries of code or classes for use in programming within
the evolutionary computation field. They are not meant as stand alone
applications, but rather as tools for building your own applications.
daga
� Web site: GARAGe.cps.msu.edu/software/software-index.html
daga is an experimental release of a 2-level genetic algorithm
compatible with the GALOPPS GA software. It is a meta-GA which
dynamically evolves a population of GAs to solve a problem
presented to the lower-level GAs. When multiple GAs (with
different operators, parameter settings, etc.) are
simultaneously applied to the same problem, the ones showing
better performance have a higher probability of surviving and
"breeding" to the next macro-generation (i.e., spawning new
"daughter"-GAs with characteristics inherited from the parental
GA or GAs. In this way, we try to encourage good problem-
solving strategies to spread to the whole population of GAs.
EO
� Web site: geneura.ugr.es/~jmerelo/EO.html
EO is a templates-based, ANSI-C++ compliant evolutionary
computation library. It contains classes for any kind of
evolutionary computation (specially genetic algorithms) you
might come up to. It is component-based, so that if you don't
find the class you need in it, it is very easy to subclass
existing abstract or concrete class.
FORTRAN GA
� Web site: www.staff.uiuc.edu/~carroll/ga.html
This program is a FORTRAN version of a genetic algorithm driver.
This code initializes a random sample of individuals with
different parameters to be optimized using the genetic algorithm
approach, i.e. evolution via survival of the fittest. The
selection scheme used is tournament selection with a shuffling
technique for choosing random pairs for mating. The routine
includes binary coding for the individuals, jump mutation, creep
mutation, and the option for single-point or uniform crossover.
Niching (sharing) and an option for the number of children per
pair of parents has been added. More recently, an option for
the use of a micro-GA has been added.
GAGS
� Web site: kal-el.ugr.es/gags.html
� FTP site: kal-el.ugr.es/GAGS/
Genetic Algorithm application generator and class library
written mainly in C++. As a class library, and among other
thing, GAGS includes:
� A chromosome hierarchy with variable length chromosomes.
Genetic operators: 2-point crossover, uniform crossover, bit-
flip mutation, transposition (gene interchange between 2 parts
of the chromosome), and variable-length operators: duplication,
elimination, and random addition.
� Population level operators include steady state, roulette wheel
and tournament selection.
� Gnuplot wrapper: turns gnuplot into a iostreams-like class.
� Easy sample file loading and configuration file parsing.
As an application generator (written in PERL), you only need to
supply it with an ANSI-C or C++ fitness function, and it creates
a C++ program that uses the above library to 90% capacity,
compiles it, and runs it, saving results and presenting fitness
thru gnuplot.
GAlib: Matthew's Genetic Algorithms Library
� Web Site: lancet.mit.edu/ga/
� FTP site: lancet.mit.edu/pub/ga/
� Register GAlib at: lancet.mit.edu/ga/Register.html
GAlib contains a set of C++ genetic algorithm objects. The
library includes tools for using genetic algorithms to do
optimization in any C++ program using any representation and
genetic operators. The documentation includes an extensive
overview of how to implement a genetic algorithm as well as
examples illustrating customizations to the GAlib classes.
GALOPPS
� Web site: GARAGe.cps.msu.edu/software/software-index.html
� FTP site: garage.cps.msu.edu/pub/GA/galopps/
GALOPPS is a flexible, generic GA, in 'C'. It was based upon
Goldberg's Simple Genetic Algorithm (SGA) architecture, in order
to make it easier for users to learn to use and extend.
GALOPPS extends the SGA capabilities several fold:
� (optional) A new Graphical User Interface, based on TCL/TK, for
Unix users, allowing easy running of GALOPPS 3.2 (single or
multiple subpopulations) on one or more processors. GUI
writes/reads "standard" GALOPPS input and master files, and
displays graphical output (during or after run) of user-selected
variables.
� 5 selection methods: roulette wheel, stochastic remainder
sampling, tournament selection, stochastic universal sampling,
linear-ranking-then-SUS.
� Random or superuniform initialization of "ordinary" (non-
permutation) binary or non-binary chromosomes; random
initialization of permutation-based chromosomes; or user-
supplied initialization of arbitrary types of chromosomes.
� Binary or non-binary alphabetic fields on value-based
chromosomes, including different user-definable field sizes.
� 3 crossovers for value-based representations: 1-pt, 2-pt, and
uniform, all of which operate at field boundaries if a non-
binary alphabet is used.
� 4 crossovers for order-based reps: PMX, order-based, uniform
order-based, and cycle.
� 4 mutations: fast bitwise, multiple-field, swap and random
sublist scramble.
� Fitness scaling: linear scaling, Boltzmann scaling, sigma
truncation, window scaling, ranking.
� Plus a whole lot more....
GAS
� Web site: starship.skyport.net/crew/gandalf
� FTP site: ftp.coe.uga.edu/users/jae/ai
GAS means "Genetic Algorithms Stuff".
GAS is freeware.
Purpose of GAS is to explore and exploit artificial evolutions.
Primary implementation language of GAS is Python. The GAS
software package is meant to be a Python framework for applying
genetic algorithms. It contains an example application where it
is tried to breed Python program strings. This special problem
falls into the category of Genetic Programming (GP), and/or
Automatic Programming. Nevertheless, GAS tries to be useful for
other applications of Genetic Algorithms as well.
GECO
� FTP site:
ftp://ftp.aic.nrl.navy.mil/pub/galist/src/
GECO (Genetic Evolution through Combination of Objects), an
extendible object-oriented tool-box for constructing genetic
algorithms (in Lisp). It provides a set of extensible classes
and methods designed for generality. Some simple examples are
also provided to illustrate the intended use.
GPdata
� FTP site: ftp.cs.bham.ac.uk/pub/authors/W.B.Langdon/gp-code/
� Documentation (GPdata-icga-95.ps): cs.ucl.ac.uk/genetic/papers/
GPdata-3.0.tar.gz (C++) contains a version of Andy Singleton's
GP-Quick version 2.1 which has been extensively altered to
support:
� Indexed memory operation (cf. teller)
� multi tree programs
� Adfs
� parameter changes without recompilation
� populations partitioned into demes
� (A version of) pareto fitness
This ftp site also contains a small C++ program (ntrees.cc) to
calculate the number of different there are of a given length
and given function and terminal set.
gpjpp Genetic Programming in Java
� [Dead Link] Web site:
http://www.turbopower.com/~kimk/gpjpp.asp
� Anyone who knows where to find gpjpp, please let me know.
gpjpp is a Java package I wrote for doing research in genetic
programming. It is a port of the gpc++ kernel written by Adam
Fraser and Thomas Weinbrenner. Included in the package are four
of Koza's standard examples: the artificial ant, the hopping
lawnmower, symbolic regression, and the boolean multiplexer.
Here is a partial list of its features:
� graphic output of expression trees
� efficient diversity checking
� Koza's greedy over-selection option for large populations
� extensible GPRun class that encapsulates most details of a
genetic programming test
� more robust and efficient streaming code, with automatic
checkpoint and restart built into the GPRun class
� an explicit complexity limit that can be set on each GP
� additional configuration variables to allow more testing without
recompilation
� support for automatically defined functions (ADFs)
� tournament and fitness proportionate selection
� demetic grouping
� optional steady state population
� subtree crossover
� swap and shrink mutation
GP Kernel
� Web site (???): www.emk.e-technik.th-
darmstadt.de/~thomasw/gp.html
The GP kernel is a C++ class library that can be used to apply
genetic programming techniques to all kinds of problems. The
library defines a class hierarchy. An integral component is the
ability to produce automatically defined functions as found in
Koza's "Genetic Programming II". Technical documentation
(postscript format) is included. There is also a short
introduction into genetic programming.
Functionality includes; Automatically defined functions (ADFs),
tournament and fitness proportionate selection, demetic
grouping, optional steady state genetic programming kernel,
subtree crossover, swap and shrink mutation, a way of changing
every parameter of the system without recompilation, capacity
for multiple populations, loading and saving of populations and
genetic programs, standard random number generator, internal
parameter checks.
lil-gp
� Web site: GARAGe.cps.msu.edu/software/software-index.html#lilgp
� FTP site: garage.cps.msu.edu/pub/GA/lilgp/
patched lil-gp *
� Web site: www.cs.umd.edu/users/seanl/gp/
lil-gp is a generic 'C' genetic programming tool. It was written
with a number of goals in mind: speed, ease of use and support
for a number of options including:
� Generic 'C' program that runs on UNIX workstations
� Support for multiple population experiments, using arbitrary and
user settable topologies for exchange, for a single processor
(i.e., you can do multiple population gp experiments on your
PC).
� lil-gp manipulates trees of function pointers which are
allocated in single, large memory blocks for speed and to avoid
swapping.
* The patched lil-gp kernel is strongly-typed, with
modifications on multithreading, coevolution, and other tweaks
and features.
PGAPack
Parallel Genetic Algorithm Library
� Web site: www.mcs.anl.gov/~levine/PGAPACK/
� FTP site: ftp.mcs.anl.gov/pub/pgapack/
PGAPack is a general-purpose, data-structure-neutral, parallel
genetic algorithm library. It is intended to provide most
capabilities desired in a genetic algorithm library, in an
integrated, seamless, and portable manner. Key features are in
PGAPack V1.0 include:
� Callable from Fortran or C.
� Runs on uniprocessors, parallel computers, and workstation
networks.
� Binary-, integer-, real-, and character-valued native data
types.
� Full extensibility to support custom operators and new data
types.
� Easy-to-use interface for novice and application users.
� Multiple levels of access for expert users.
� Parameterized population replacement.
� Multiple crossover, mutation, and selection operators.
� Easy integration of hill-climbing heuristics.
� Extensive debugging facilities.
� Large set of example problems.
� Detailed users guide.
PIPE
� Web site: www.idsia.ch/~rafal/research.html
� FTP site: ftp.idsia.ch/pub/rafal
Probabilistic Incremental Program Evolution (PIPE) is a novel
technique for automatic program synthesis. The software is
written in C. It
� is easy to install (comes with an automatic installation tool).
� is easy to use: setting up PIPE_V1.0 for different problems
requires a minimal amount of programming. User-written,
application- independent program parts can easily be reused.
� is efficient: PIPE_V1.0 has been tuned to speed up performance.
� is portable: comes with source code (optimized for SunOS 5.5.1).
� is extensively documented(!) and contains three example
applications.
� supports statistical evaluations: it facilitates running
multiple experiments and collecting results in output files.
� includes testing tool for testing generalization of evolved
programs.
� supports floating point and integer arithmetic.
� has extensive output features.
� For lil-gp users: Problems set up for lil-gp 1.0 can be easily
ported to PIPE_v1.0. The testing tool can also be used to
process programs evolved by lil-gp 1.0.
Sugal
� Web site: www.trajan-software.demon.co.uk/sugal.htm
Sugal [soo-gall] is the SUnderland Genetic ALgorithm system. The
aim of Sugal is to support research and implementation in
Genetic Algorithms on a common software platform. As such, Sugal
supports a large number of variants of Genetic Algorithms, and
has extensive features to support customization and extension.
4.2.
EC software kits/applications
These are various applications, software kits, etc. meant for research
in the field of evolutionary computing. Their ease of use will vary,
as they were designed to meet some particular research interest more
than as an easy to use commercial package.
ADATE
� Web site: www-ia.hiof.no/~rolando/adate_intro.html
ADATE (Automatic Design of Algorithms Through Evolution) is a
system for automatic programming i.e., inductive inference of
algorithms, which may be the best way to develop artificial and
general intelligence.
The ADATE system can automatically generate non-trivial and
novel algorithms. Algorithms are generated through large scale
combinatorial search that employs sophisticated program
transformations and heuristics. The ADATE system is particularly
good at synthesizing symbolic, functional programs and has
several unique qualities.
esep & xesep
� Web site(esep): www.iit.edu/~linjinl/esep.html
� Web site(xesep): www.iit.edu/~linjinl/xesep.html
This is a new scheduler, called Evolution Scheduler, based on
Genetic Algorithms and Evolutionary Programming. It lives with
original Linux priority scheduler.This means you don't have to
reboot to change the scheduling policy. You may simply use the
manager program esep to switch between them at any time, and
esep itself is an all-in-one for scheduling status, commands,
and administration. We didn't intend to remove the original
priority scheduler; instead, at least, esep provides you with
another choice to use a more intelligent scheduler, which
carries out natural competition in an easy and effective way.
Xesep is a graphical user interface to the esep (Evolution
Scheduling and Evolving Processes). It's intended to show users
how to start, play, and feel the Evolution Scheduling and
Evolving Processes, including sub-programs to display system
status, evolving process status, queue status, and evolution
scheduling status periodically in as small as one mini-second.
Corewars
� Web site: corewars.sourceforge.net/
� SourceForge site: sourceforge.net/project/?group_id=3054
Corewars is a game which simulates a virtual machine with a
number of programs. Each program tries to crash the others. The
program that lasts the longest time wins. A number of sample
programs are provided and new programs can be written by the
player. Screenshots are available at the Corewars homepage.
Corewar VM
� Web site: www.jedi.claranet.fr/
This is a virtual machine written in Java (so it is a virtual
machine for another virtual machine !) for a Corewar game.
FSM-Evolver
� Web site (???): pages.prodigy.net/czarneckid
A Java (jdk-v1.0.2+) code library that is used to evolve finite
state machines. The problem included in the package is the
Artificial Ant problem. You should be able to compile the .java
files and then run: java ArtificialAnt.
GPsys
� Web site: www.cs.ucl.ac.uk/staff/A.Qureshi/gpsys.html
GPsys (pronounced gipsys) is a Java (requires Java 1.1 or later)
based Genetic Programming system developed by Adil Qureshi. The
software includes documentation, source and executables.
Feature Summary:
� Steady State engine
� ADF support
� Strongly Typed
1. supports generic functions and terminals
2. has many built-in primitives
3. includes indexed memory
� Save/Load feature
1. can save/load current generation to/from a file
2. data stored in GZIP compression format to minimise disk
requirements
3. uses serialisable objects for efficiency
� Fully Documented
� Example Problems
1. Lawnmower (including GUI viewer)
2. Symbolic Regression
� Totally Parameterised
� Fully Object Oriented and Extensible
� High Performance
� Memory Efficient
JGProg
� Web site: www.linuxstart.com/~groovyjava/JGProg/
Genetic Programming (JGProg) is an open-source Java
implementation of a strongly-typed Genetic Programming
experimentation platform. Two example "worlds" are provided, in
which a population evolves and solves the problem.
5.
Alife & Complex Systems
Alife takes yet another approach to exploring the mysteries of
intelligence. It has many aspects similar to EC and Connectionism,
but takes these ideas and gives them a meta-level twist. Alife
emphasizes the development of intelligence through emergent behavior
of complex adaptive systems. Alife stresses the social or group based
aspects of intelligence. It seeks to understand life and survival. By
studying the behaviors of groups of 'beings' Alife seeks to discover
the way intelligence or higher order activity emerges from seemingly
simple individuals. Cellular Automata and Conway's Game of Life are
probably the most commonly known applications of this field. Complex
Systems (abbreviated CS) are very similar to alife in the way the are
approached, just more general in definition (ie. alife is a type of
complex system). Usually complex system software takes the form of a
simulator.
5.1.
Alife & CS class/code libraries
These are libraries of code or classes for use in programming within
the artificial life field. They are not meant as stand alone
applications, but rather as tools for building your own applications.
CASE
� Web site: www.iu.hioslo.no/~cell/
� FTP site: ftp.iu.hioslo.no/pub/
CASE (Cellular Automaton Simulation Environment) is a C++
toolkit for visualizing discrete models in two dimensions: so-
called cellular automata. The aim of this project is to create
an integrated framework for creating generalized cellular
automata using the best, standardized technology of the day.
John von Neumann Universal Constructor
� Web site: alife.santafe.edu/alife/software/jvn.html
� FTP site: alife.santafe.edu/pub/SOFTWARE/jvn/
The universal constructor of John von Neumann is an extension of
the logical concept of universal computing machine. In the
cellular environment proposed by von Neumann both computing and
constructive universality can be achieved. Von Neumann proved
that in his cellular lattice both a Turing machine and a machine
capable of producing any other cell assembly, when fed with a
suitable program, can be embedded. He called the latter machine
a ''universal constructor'' and showed that, when provided with
a program containing its own description, this is capable of
self-reproducing.
Swarm
� Web site: www.santafe.edu/projects/swarm
� FTP site: ftp.santafe.edu/pub/swarm
The swarm Alife simulation kit. Swarm is a simulation
environment which facilitates development and experimentation
with simulations involving a large number of agents behaving and
interacting within a dynamic environment. It consists of a
collection of classes and libraries written in Objective-C and
allows great flexibility in creating simulations and analyzing
their results. It comes with three demos and good
documentation.
Swarm 1.0 is out. It requires libtclobjc and BLT 2.1 (both
available at the swarm site).
5.2.
Alife & CS software kits, applications, etc.
These are various applications, software kits, etc. meant for research
in the field of artificial life. Their ease of use will vary, as they
were designed to meet some particular research interest more than as
an easy to use commercial package.
Avida
� Web site:
http://www.krl.caltech.edu/avida/home/software.html
� Web site: www.krl.caltech.edu/avida/pubs/nature99/
The computer program avida is an auto-adaptive genetic system
designed primarily for use as a platform in Artificial Life
research. The avida system is based on concepts similar to those
employed by the tierra program, that is to say it is a
population of self-reproducing strings with a Turing-complete
genetic basis subjected to Poisson-random mutations. The
population adapts to the combination of an intrinsic fitness
landscape (self-reproduction) and an externally imposed
(extrinsic) fitness function provided by the researcher. By
studying this system, one can examine evolutionary adaptation,
general traits of living systems (such as self-organization),
and other issues pertaining to theoretical or evolutionary
biology and dynamic systems.
BugsX
� FTP site: ftp.de.uu.net/pub/research/ci/Alife/packages/bugsx/
Display and evolve biomorphs. It is a program which draws the
biomorphs based on parametric plots of Fourier sine and cosine
series and let's you play with them using the genetic algorithm.
The Cellular Automata Simulation System
� Web site: www.cs.runet.edu/~dana/ca/cellular.html
The system consists of a compiler for the Cellang cellular
automata programming language, along with the corresponding
documentation, viewer, and various tools. Cellang has been
undergoing refinement for the last several years (1991-1995),
with corresponding upgrades to the compiler. Postscript
versions of the tutorial and language reference manual are
available for those wanting more detailed information. The most
important distinguishing features of Cellang, include support
for:
� any number of dimensions;
� compile time specification of each dimensions size; cell
neighborhoods of any size (though bounded at compile time) and
shape;
� positional and time dependent neighborhoods;
� associating multiple values (fields), including arrays, with
each cell;
� associating a potentially unbounded number of mobile agents [
Agents are mobile entities based on a mechanism of the same name
in the Creatures system, developed by Ian Stephenson
(
[email protected]).] with each cell; and
� local interactions only, since it is impossible to construct
automata that contain any global control or references to global
variables.
Cyphesis
� Web site: www.worldforge.org/website/servers/cyphesis/
Cyphesis will be the AI Engine, or more plainly, the
intelligence behind Worldforge (WF). Cyphesis will aims to
achieve 'live' virtual worlds. Animals will have young, prey on
each other and eventually die. Plants grow, flower, bear fruit
and even die just as they do in real life. When completed, NPCs
in Cyphesis will do all sorts of interesting things like attempt
to acomplish ever-changing goals that NPCs set for themselves,
gossip to PCs and other NPCs, live, die and raise children.
Cyphesis aims to make NPCs act just like you and me.
dblife & dblifelib
� FTP site: ftp.cc.gatech.edu/ac121/linux/games/amusements/life/
dblife: Sources for a fancy Game of Life program for X11 (and
curses). It is not meant to be incredibly fast (use xlife for
that:-). But it IS meant to allow the easy editing and viewing
of Life objects and has some powerful features. The related
dblifelib package is a library of Life objects to use with the
program.
dblifelib: This is a library of interesting Life objects,
including oscillators, spaceships, puffers, and other weird
things. The related dblife package contains a Life program
which can read the objects in the Library.
Drone
� Web site: pscs.physics.lsa.umich.edu/Software/Drone/
Drone is a tool for automatically running batch jobs of a
simulation program. It allows sweeps over arbitrary sets of
parameters, as well as multiple runs for each parameter set,
with a separate random seed for each run. The runs may be
executed either on a single computer or over the Internet on a
set of remote hosts. Drone is written in Expect (an extension to
the Tcl scripting language) and runs under Unix. It was
originally designed for use with the Swarm agent-based
simulation framework, but Drone can be used with any simulation
program that reads parameters from the command line or from an
input file.
EBISS
� Web site: www.ebiss.org/english/
EBISS is a multi-disciplinary, open, collaborative project aimed
at investigating social problems by means of computational
modeling and social simulations. During the past four years we
have been developing SARA, a multi-agent gaming simulation
platform providing for easy construction of simulations and
gamings.
We believe that in order to have a break-through in the
difficult task of understanding real-world complex social
problems, we need to gather researchers and experts with
different backgrounds not only in discussion forums, but in a
tighter cooperative task of building and sharing common
experimental platforms.
EcoLab
� Web site: parallel.acsu.unsw.edu.au/rks/ecolab.html
EcoLab is a system that implements an abstract ecology model. It
is written as a set of Tcl/Tk commands so that the model
parameters can easily be changed on the fly by means of editing
a script. The model itself is written in C++.
Game Of Life (GOL)
� Web site: www.arrakeen.demon.co.uk/downloads.html
� FTP site: metalab.unc.edu/pub/Linux/science/ai/life
GOL is a simulator for conway's game of life (a simple cellular
automata), and other simple rule sets. The emphasis here is on
speed and scale, in other words you can setup large and fast
simulations.
gLife
� Web site: glife.sourceforge.net
� SourceForge site: sourceforge.net/project/?group_id=748
This program is similiar to "Conway's Game of Life" but yet it
is very different. It takes "Conway's Game of Life" and applies
it to a society (human society). This means there is a very
different (and much larger) ruleset than in the original game.
Things need to be taken into account such as the terrain, age,
sex, culture, movement, etc
Grany-3
� Web site: altern.org/gcottenc/html/grany.html
Grany-3 is a full-featured cellular automaton simulator, made in
C++ with Gtk--, flex++/bison++, doxygen and gettext, useful to
granular media physicists.
Langton's Ant
� Web site: theory.org/software/ant/
Langton's Ant is an example of a finite-state cellular automata.
The ant (or ants) start out on a grid. Each cell is either black
or white. If the ant is on a black square, it turns right 90
and moves forward one unit. If the ant is on a white square, it
turns left 90 and moves forward one unit. And when the ant
leaves a square, it inverts the color. The neat thing about
Langton's Ant is that no matter what pattern field you start it
out on, it eventually builds a "road," which is a series of 117
steps that repeat indefinitely, each time leaving the ant
displaced one pixel vertically and horizontally.
LEE
� Web site: dollar.biz.uiowa.edu/~fil/LEE/
� FTP site: dollar.biz.uiowa.edu/pub/fil/LEE/
LEE (Latent Energy Environments) is both an Alife model and a
software tool to be used for simulations within the framework of
that model. We hope that LEE will help understand a broad range
of issues in theoretical, behavioral, and evolutionary biology.
The LEE tool described here consists of approximately 7,000
lines of C code and runs in both Unix and Macintosh platforms.
Net-Life & ZooLife
� FTP site: ftp.coe.uga.edu/users/jae/alife/
*(netlife-2.0.tar.gz contains both Net-Life and ZooLife)
Net-Life is a simulation of artificial-life, with neural
"brains" generated via slightly random techniques. Net-Life uses
artificial neural nets and evolutionary algorithms to breed
artificial organisms that are similar to single cell organisms.
Net-life uses asexual reproduction of its fittest individuals
with a chance of mutation after each round to eventually evolve
successful life-forms.
ZooLife is a simulation of artificial-life. ZooLife uses
probabilistic methods and evolutionary algorithms to breed
artificial organisms that are similar to plant/animal zoo
organisms. ZooLife uses asexual reproduction with a chance of
mutation.
POSES++
� Web site: www.tu-chemnitz.de/ftp-
home/pub/Local/simulation/poses++/www/index.html
The POSES++ software tool supports the development and
simulation of models. Regarding the simulation technique models
are suitable reproductions of real or planned systems for their
simulative investigation.
In all industrial sectors or branches POSES++ can model and
simulate any arbitrary system which is based on a discrete and
discontinuous behaviour. Also continuous systems can mostly be
handled like discrete systems e.g., by quantity discretion and
batch processing.
Primordial Soup
� Web site: alife.santafe.edu/alife/software/psoup.html
Primordial Soup is an artificial life program. Organisms in the
form of computer software loops live in a shared memory space
(the "soup") and self-reproduce. The organisms mutate and
evolve, behaving in accordance with the principles of Darwinian
evolution.
The program may be started with one or more organisms seeding
the soup. Alternatively, the system may be started "sterile",
with no organisms present. Spontaneous generation of self-
reproducing organisms has been observed after runs as short as
15 minutes.
Tierra
� Web site: www.hip.atr.co.jp/~ray/tierra/tierra.html
� FTP site: alife.santafe.edu/pub/SOFTWARE/Tierra/
� Alternate
� FTP site: ftp.cc.gatech.edu/ac121/linux/science/biology/
Tierra's written in the C programming language. This source code
creates a virtual computer and its operating system, whose
architecture has been designed in such a way that the executable
machine codes are evolvable. This means that the machine code
can be mutated (by flipping bits at random) or recombined (by
swapping segments of code between algorithms), and the resulting
code remains functional enough of the time for natural (or
presumably artificial) selection to be able to improve the code
over time.
TIN
� FTP site: ftp.coe.uga.edu/users/jae/alife/
This program simulates primitive life-forms, equipped with some
basic instincts and abilities, in a 2D environment consisting of
cells. By mutation new generations can prove their success, and
thus passing on "good family values".
The brain of a TIN can be seen as a collection of processes,
each representing drives or impulses to behave a certain way,
depending on the state/perception of the environment ( e.g.
presence of food, walls, neighbors, scent traces) These behavior
process currently are : eating, moving, mating, relaxing,
tracing others, gathering food and killing. The process with the
highest impulse value takes control, or in other words: the tin
will act according to its most urgent need.
XLIFE
� FTP site: ftp.cc.gatech.edu/ac121/linux/games/amusements/life/
This program will evolve patterns for John Horton Conway's game
of Life. It will also handle general cellular automata with the
orthogonal neighborhood and up to 8 states (it's possible to
recompile for more states, but very expensive in memory).
Transition rules and sample patterns are provided for the
8-state automaton of E. F. Codd, the Wireworld automaton, and a
whole class of `Prisoner's Dilemma' games.
Xtoys
� Web site: penguin.phy.bnl.gov/www/xtoys.html
xtoys contains a set of cellular automata simulators for X
windows. Programs included are:
� xising --- a two dimensional Ising model simulator,
� xpotts --- the two dimensional Potts model,
� xautomalab --- a totalistic cellular automaton simulator,
� xsand --- for the Bak, Tang, Wiesenfeld sandpile model,
� xwaves --- demonstrates three different wave equations,
� schrodinger --- play with the Scrodinger equation in an
adjustable potential.
6.
Autonomous Agents
Also known as intelligent software agents or just agents, this area of
AI research deals with simple applications of small programs that aid
the user in his/her work. They can be mobile (able to stop their
execution on one machine and resume it on another) or static (live in
one machine). They are usually specific to the task (and therefore
fairly simple) and meant to help the user much as an assistant would.
The most popular (ie. widely known) use of this type of application to
date are the web robots that many of the indexing engines (eg.
webcrawler) use.
AgentK
� FTP site: ftp.csd.abdn.ac.uk/pub/wdavies/agentk
This package synthesizes two well-known agent paradigms: Agent-
Oriented Programming, Shoham (1990), and the Knowledge Query &
Manipulation Language, Finin (1993). The initial implementation
of AOP, Agent-0, is a simple language for specifying agent
behaviour. KQML provides a standard language for inter-agent
communication. Our integration (which we have called Agent-K)
demonstrates that Agent-0 and KQML are highly compatible. Agent-
K provides the possibility of inter-operable (or open) software
agents, that can communicate via KQML and which are programmed
using the AOP approach.
Agent
� FTP site: www.cpan.org/modules/by-
category/23_Miscellaneous_Modules/Agent/
The Agent is a prototype for an Information Agent system. It is
both platform and language independent, as it stores contained
information in simple packed strings. It can be packed and
shipped across any network with any format, as it freezes itself
in its current state.
D'Agent (was AGENT TCL)
� Web site: agent.cs.dartmouth.edu/software/agent2.0/
� FTP site: ftp.cs.dartmouth.edu/pub/agents/
A transportable agent is a program that can migrate from machine
to machine in a heterogeneous network. The program chooses when
and where to migrate. It can suspend its execution at an
arbitrary point, transport to another machine and resume
execution on the new machine. For example, an agent carrying a
mail message migrates first to a router and then to the
recipient's mailbox. The agent can perform arbitrarily complex
processing at each machine in order to ensure that the message
reaches the intended recipient.
Aglets Workbench
� Web site: www.trl.ibm.co.jp/aglets/
An aglet is a Java object that can move from one host on the
Internet to another. That is, an aglet that executes on one
host can suddenly halt execution, dispatch to a remote host, and
resume execution there. When the aglet moves, it takes along its
program code as well as its state (data). A built-in security
mechanism makes it safe for a computer to host untrusted aglets.
The Java Aglet API (J-AAPI) is a proposed public standard for
interfacing aglets and their environment. J-AAPI contains
methods for initializing an aglet, message handling, and
dispatching, retracting, deactivating/activating, cloning, and
disposing of the aglet. J-AAPI is simple, flexible, and stable.
Application developers can write platform-independent aglets and
expect them to run on any host that supports J-AAPI.
A.L.I.C.E.
� Web site: www.alicebot.org
The ALICE software implements AIML (Artificial Intelligence
Markup Language), a non-standard evolving markup language for
creating chat robots. The primary design feature of AIML is
minimalism. Compared with other chat robot languages, AIML is
perhaps the simplest. The pattern matching language is very
simple, for example permitting only one wild-card ('*') match
character per pattern. AIML is an XML language, implying that it
obeys certain grammatical meta-rules. The choice of XML syntax
permits integration with other tools such as XML editors.
Another motivation for XML is its familiar look and feel,
especially to people with HTML experience.
Ara
� Web site: www.uni-kl.de/AG-Nehmer/Projekte/Ara/index_e.html
Ara is a platform for the portable and secure execution of
mobile agents in heterogeneous networks. Mobile agents in this
sense are programs with the ability to change their host machine
during execution while preserving their internal state. This
enables them to handle interactions locally which otherwise had
to be performed remotely. Ara's specific aim in comparison to
similar platforms is to provide full mobile agent functionality
while retaining as much as possible of established programming
models and languages.
Bee-gent
� Web site: www2.toshiba.co.jp/beegent/index.htm
Bee-gent is a new type of development framework in that it is a
100% pure agent system. As opposed to other systems which make
only some use of agents, Bee-gent completely "Agentifies" the
communication that takes place between software applications.
The applications become agents, and all messages are carried by
agents. Thus, Bee-gent allows developers to build flexible open
distributed systems that make optimal use of existing
applications.
Bots
� Web site: utenti.tripod.it/Claudio1977/bots.html
Another AI-robot battle simulation. Utilizing probablistic
logic as a machine learning technique. Written in C++ (with C++
bots).
Cadaver
� Web site: www.erikyyy.de/cadaver/
Cadaver is a simulated world of cyborgs and nature in realtime.
The battlefield consists of forests, grain, water, grass,
carcass (of course) and lots of other things. The game server
manages the game and the rules. You start a server and connect
some clients. The clients communicate with the server using a
very primitive protocol. They can order cyborgs to harvest
grain, attack enemies or cut forest. The game is not intended
to be played by humans! There is too much to control. Only for
die-hards: Just telnet to the server and you can enter commands
by hand. Instead the idea is that you write artificial
intelligence clients to beat the other artificial intelligences.
You can choose a language (and operating system) of your choice
to do that task. It is enough to write a program that
communicates on standard input and standard output channels.
Then you can use programs like "socket" to connect your clients
to the server. It is NOT needed to write TCP/IP code, although
i did so :) The battle shall not be boring, and so there is the
so called spyboss client that displays the action graphically on
screen.
Dunce
� Web site: www.boswa.com/boswabits/
Dunce is a simple chatterbot (conversational AI) and a language
for programming such chatterbots. It uses a basic regex pattern
matching and a semi-neural rule/response firing mechanism (with
excitement/decay cycles).
Dunce is listed about halfway down the page.
FishMarket
� Web site: www.iiia.csic.es/Projects/fishmarket/
FM - The FishMarket project conducted at the Artificial
Intelligence Research Institute (IIIA-CSIC) attempts to
contribute in that direction by developing FM, an agent-mediated
electronic auction house which has been evolved into a test-bed
for electronic auction markets. The framework, conceived and
implemented as an extension of FM96.5 (a Java-based version of
the Fishmarket auction house), allows to define trading
scenarios based on fish market auctions (Dutch auctions). FM
provides the framework wherein agent designers can perform
controlled experimentation in such a way that a multitude of
experimental market scenarios--that we regard as tournament
scenarios due to the competitive nature of the domain-- of
varying degrees of realism and complexity can be specified,
activated, and recorded; and trading (buyer and seller)
heterogeneous (human and software) agents compared, tuned and
evaluated.
Hive
� Web site: www.hivecell.net/
Hive is a Java software platform for creating distributed
applications. Using Hive, programmers can easily create systems
that connect and use data from all over the Internet. At its
heart, Hive is an environment for distributed agents to live,
communicating and moving to fulfill applications. We are trying
to make the Internet alive.
Jade
� Web site: sharon.cselt.it/projects/jade/
JADE (Java Agent DEvelopment Framework) is a software framework
fully implemented in Java language. It simplifies the
implementation of multi-agent systems through a middle-ware that
claims to comply with the FIPA specifications and through a set
of tools that supports the debugging and deployment phase. The
agent platform can be distributed across machines (which not
even need to share the same OS) and the configuration can be
controlled via a remote GUI. The configuration can be even
changed at run-time by moving agents from one machine to another
one, as and when required.
JAFMAS
� Web site: www.ececs.uc.edu/~abaker/JAFMAS
JAFMAS provides a framework to guide the coherent development of
multiagent systems along with a set of classes for agent
deployment in Java. The framework is intended to help beginning
and expert developers structure their ideas into concrete agent
applications. It directs development from a speech-act
perspective and supports multicast and directed communication,
KQML or other speech-act performatives and analysis of
multiagent system coherency and consistency.
Only four of the provided Java classes must be extended for any
application. Provided examples of the N-Queens and Supply Chain
Integration use only 567 and 1276 lines of additional code
respectively for implementation.
JAM Agent
� Web site: members.home.net/marcush/IRS/
JAM supports both top-down, goal-based reasoning and bottom-up
data-driven reasoning. JAM selects goals and plans based on
maximal priority if metalevel reasoning is not used, or user-
developed metalevel reasoning plans if they exist. JAM's
conceptualization of goals and goal achievement is more
classically defined (UMPRS is more behavioral performance-based
than truly goal-based) and makes the distinction between plans
to achieve goals and plans that simply encode behaviors. Goal-
types implemented include achievement (attain a specified world
state), maintenance (re-attain a specified world state), and
performance. Execution of multiple simultaneous goals are
supported, with suspension and resumption capabilities for each
goal (i.e., intention) thread. JAM plans have explicit
precondition and runtime attributes that restrict their
applicability, a postcondition attribute, and a plan attributes
section for specifying plan/domain-specific plan features.
Available plan constructs include: sequencing, iteration,
subgoaling, atomic (i.e., non-interruptable) plan segments, n-
branch deterministic and non-deterministic conditional
execution, parallel execution of multiple plan segments, goal-
based or world state-based synchronization, an explicit failure-
handling section, and Java primitive function definition through
building it into JAM as well as the invocation of predefined
(i.e., legacy) class members via Java's reflection capabilities
without having to build it into JAM.
JATLite
� Web site: java.stanford.edu/java_agent/html/
JATLite is providing a set of java packages which makes easy to
build multi-agent systems using Java. JATLite provides only
light-weight, small set of packages so that the developers can
handle all the packages with little efforts. For flexibility
JATLite provides four different layers from abstract to Router
implementation. A user can access any layer we are providing.
Each layer has a different set of assumptions. The user can
choose an appropriate layer according to the assumptions on the
layer and user's application. The introduction page contains
JATLite features and the set of assumptions for each layer.
JATLiteBeans
� Web site: waitaki.otago.ac.nz/JATLiteBean/
� Improved, easier-to-use interface to JATLite features including
KQML message parsing, receiving, and sending.
� Extensible architecture for message handling and agent "thread
of control" management
� Useful functions for parsing of simple KQML message content
� JATLiteBean supports automatic advertising of agent capabilities
to facilitator agents
� Automatic, optional, handling of the "forward" performative
� Generic configuration file parser
� KQML syntax checker
Java(tm) Agent Template
� Web site: cdr.stanford.edu/ABE/JavaAgent.html
The JAT provides a fully functional template, written entirely
in the Java language, for constructing software agents which
communicate peer-to-peer with a community of other agents
distributed over the Internet. Although portions of the code
which define each agent are portable, JAT agents are not
migratory but rather have a static existence on a single host.
This behavior is in contrast to many other "agent" technologies.
(However, using the Java RMI, JAT agents could dynamically
migrate to a foreign host via an agent resident on that host).
Currently, all agent messages use KQML as a top-level protocol
or message wrapper. The JAT includes functionality for
dynamically exchanging "Resources", which can include Java
classes (e.g. new languages and interpreters, remote services,
etc.), data files and information inlined into the KQML
messages.
Java-To-Go
� Web site: ptolemy.eecs.berkeley.edu/dgm/javatools/java-to-go/
Java-To-Go is an experimental infrastructure that assists in the
development and experimentation of mobile agents and agent-based
applications for itinerative computing (itinerative computing:
the set of applications that requires site-to-site computations.
The main emphasis here is on a easy-to-setup environment that
promotes quick experimentation on mobile agents.
Kafka
� Web site: www.fujitsu.co.jp/hypertext/free/kafka/
Kafka is yet another agent library designed for constructing
multi-agent based distributed applications. Kafka is a flexible,
extendable, and easy-to-use java class library for programmers
who are familiar with distributed programming. It is based on
Java's RMI and has the following added features:
� Runtime Reflection: Agents can modify their behaviour (program
codes) at runtime. The behaviour of the agent is represented by
an abstract class Action. It is useful for remote maintenance or
installation services.
� Remote Evaluation: Agents can receive and evaluate program codes
(classes) with or without the serialized object. Remote
evaluation is a fundamental function of a mobile agent and is
thought to be a push model of service delivery.
� Distributed Name Service: Agents have any number of logical
names that don't contain the host name. These names can be
managed by the distributed directories.
� Customizable security policy: a very flexible, customizable,
3-layered security model is implemented in Kafka.
� 100% Java and RMI compatible: Kafka is written completely in
Java. Agent is a Java RMI server object itself. So, agents can
directly communicate with other RMI objects.
Khepera Simulator
� Web site: diwww.epfl.ch/lami/team/michel/khep-sim/
Khepera Simulator is a public domain software package written by
Olivier MICHEL during the preparation of his Ph.D. thesis, at
the Laboratoire I3S, URA 1376 of CNRS and University of Nice-
Sophia Antipolis, France. It allows to write your own controller
for the mobile robot Khepera using C or C++ languages, to test
them in a simulated environment and features a nice colorful X11
graphical interface. Moreover, if you own a Khepera robot, it
can drive the real robot using the same control algorithm. It is
mainly oriented toward to researchers studying autonomous
agents.
lyntin
� Web site: lyntin.sourceforge.net/
Lyntin is an extensible Mud client and framework for the
creation of autonomous agents, or bots, as well as mudding in
general. Lyntin is centered around Python, a dynamic, object-
oriented, and fun programming language and based on TinTin++ a
lovely mud client.
Mole
� Web site: mole.informatik.uni-stuttgart.de/
Mole is an agent system supporting mobile agents programmed in
Java. Mole's agents consist of a cluster of objects, which have
no references to the outside, and as a whole work on tasks given
by the user or another agent. They have the ability to roam a
network of "locations" autonomously. These "locations" are an
abstraction of real, existing nodes in the underlying network.
They can use location-specific resources by communicating with
dedicated agents representing these services. Agents are able to
use services provided by other agents and to provide services as
well.
Penguin!
� FTP site: www.perl.org/CPAN/modules/by-
category/23_Miscellaneous_Modules/Penguin/FSG/
Penguin is a Perl 5 module. It provides you with a set of
functions which allow you to:
� send encrypted, digitally signed Perl code to a remote machine
to be executed.
� receive code and, depending on who signed it, execute it in an
arbitrarily secure, limited compartment.
The combination of these functions enable direct Perl coding of
algorithms to handle safe internet commerce, mobile information-
gathering agents, "live content" web browser helper apps,
distributed load-balanced computation, remote software update,
distance machine administration, content-based information
propagation, Internet-wide shared-data applications, network
application builders, and so on.
RealTimeBattle
� Web site: www.lysator.liu.se/realtimebattle/
RealTimeBattle is a programming game, in which robots controlled
by programs are fighting each other. The goal is to destroy the
enemies, using the radar to examine the environment and the
cannon to shoot.
� Game progresses in real time, with the robot programs running as
child processes to RealTimeBattle.
� The robots communicate with the main program using the standard
input and output.
� Robots can be constructed in almost any programming language.
� Maximum number of robots can compete simultaneously.
� A simple messaging language is used for communication, which
makes it easy to start constructing robots.
� Robots behave like real physical object.
� You can create your own arenas.
� Highly configurable.
Remembrance Agents
� Web site: rhodes.www.media.mit.edu/people/rhodes/RA/
Remembrance Agents are a set of applications that watch over a
user's shoulder and suggest information relevant to the current
situation. While query-based memory aids help with direct
recall, remembrance agents are an augmented associative memory.
For example, the word-processor version of the RA continuously
updates a list of documents relevant to what's being typed or
read in an emacs buffer. These suggested documents can be any
text files that might be relevant to what you are currently
writing or reading. They might be old emails related to the
mail you are currently reading, or abstracts from papers and
newspaper articles that discuss the topic of your writing.
SimRobot
� Web site: www.informatik.uni-bremen.de/~simrobot/
� FTP site: ftp.uni-bremen.de/pub/ZKW/INFORM/simrobot/
SimRobot is a program for simulation of sensor based robots in a
3D environment. It is written in C++, runs under UNIX and X11
and needs the graphics toolkit XView.
� Simulation of robot kinematics
� Hierarchically built scene definition via a simple definition
language
� Various sensors built in: camera, facette eye, distance
measurement, light sensor, etc.
� Objects defined as polyeders
� Emitter abstractly defined; can be interpreted e.g. as light or
sound
� Camera images computed according to the raytracing or Z-buffer
algorithms known from computer graphics
� Specific sensor/motor software interface for communicating with
the simulation
� Texture mapping onto the object surfaces: bitmaps in various
formats
� Comprehensive visualization of the scene: wire frame w/o hidden
lines, sensor and actor values
� Interactive as well as batch driven control of the agents and
operation in the environment
� Collision detection
� Extendability with user defined object types
� Possible socket communication to e.g. the Khoros image
processing software
Sulawesi
� Web site: wearables.essex.ac.uk/sulawesi/
A framework called Sulawesi has been designed and implemented to
tackle what has been considered to be important challenges in a
wearable user interface. The ability to accept input from any
number of modalities, and perform if necessary a translation to
any number of modal outputs. It does this primarily through a
set of proactive agents to act on the input.
TclRobots
� FTP site: ftp.neosoft.com/pub/tcl/sorted/games/tclrobots-2.0/
� Redhat Patch: ftp.coe.uga.edu/users/jae/ai/tclrobots-
redhat.patch
� RPMs (search at):
http://rufus.w3.org/
TclRobots is a programming game, similar to 'Core War'. To play
TclRobots, you must write a Tcl program that controls a robot.
The robot's mission is to survive a battle with other robots.
Two, three, or four robots compete during a battle, each running
different programs (or possibly the same program in different
robots.) Each robot is equipped with a scanner, cannon, drive
mechanism. A single match continues until one robot is left
running. Robots may compete individually, or combine in a team
oriented battle. A tournament can be run with any number of
robot programs, each robot playing every other in a round-robin
fashion, one-on-one. A battle simulator is available to help
debug robot programs.
The TclRobots program provides a physical environment, imposing
certain game parameters to which all robots must adhere.
TclRobots also provides a view on a battle, and a controlling
user interface. TclRobots requirements: a wish interpreter
built from Tcl 7.4 and Tk 4.0.
TKQML
� Web site: www.csee.umbc.edu/tkqml/
TKQML is a KQML application/addition to Tcl/Tk, which allows Tcl
based systems to communicate easily with a powerful agent
communication language.
The Tocoma Project
� Web site: www.tacoma.cs.uit.no/
An agent is a process that may migrate through a computer
network in order to satisfy requests made by clients. Agents are
an attractive way to describe network-wide computations.
The TACOMA project focuses on operating system support for
agents and how agents can be used to solve problems
traditionally addressed by operating systems. We have
implemented a series of prototype systems to support agents.
TACOMA Version 1.2 is based on UNIX and TCP. The system supports
agents written in C, Tcl/Tk, Perl, Python, and Scheme (Elk). It
is implemented in C. This TACOMA version has been in public
domain since April 1996.
We are currently focusing on heterogeneity, fault-tolerance,
security and management issues. Also, several TACOMA
applications are under construction. We implemented StormCast
4.0, a wide-area network weather monitoring system accessible
over the internet, using TACOMA and Java. We are now in the
process of evaluating this application, and plan to build a new
StormCast version to be completed by June 1997.
UMPRS Agent
� Web site: members.home.net/marcush/IRS/
UMPRS supports top-down, goal-based reasoning and selects goals
and plans based on maximal priority. Execution of multiple
simultaneous goals are supported, with suspension and resumption
capabilities for each goal (i.e., intention) thread. UMPRS plans
have an integrated precondition/runtime attribute that constrain
their applicability. Available plan constructs include:
sequencing, iteration, subgoaling, atomic (i.e., non-
interruptable) blocks, n-branch deterministic conditional
execution, explicit failure-handling section, and C++ primitive
function definition.
Virtual Secretary Project (ViSe)
(Tcl/Tk)
� Web site: www.cs.uit.no/DOS/Virt_Sec
The motivation of the Virtual Secretary project is to construct
user-model-based intelligent software agents, which could in
most cases replace human for secretarial tasks, based on modern
mobile computing and computer network. The project includes two
different phases: the first phase (ViSe1) focuses on information
filtering and process migration, its goal is to create a secure
environment for software agents using the concept of user
models; the second phase (ViSe2) concentrates on agents'
intelligent and efficient cooperation in a distributed
environment, its goal is to construct cooperative agents for
achieving high intelligence. (Implemented in Tcl/TclX/Tix/Tk)
VWORLD
� Web site: zhar.net/gnu-linux/projects/vworld/
Vworld is a simulated environment for research with autonomous
agents written in prolog. It is currently in something of an
beta stage. It works well with SWI-prolog, but should work with
Quitnus-prolog with only a few changes. It is being designed to
serve as an educational tool for class projects dealing with
prolog and autonomous agents. It comes with three demo worlds or
environments, along with sample agents for them. There are two
versions now. One written for SWI-prolog and one written for
LPA-prolog. Documentation is roughly done (with a
student/professor framework in mind), and a graphical interface
is planned.
WebMate
� Web site: www.cs.cmu.edu/~softagents/webmate/
WebMate is a personal agent for World-Wide Web browsing and
searching. It accompanies you when you travel on the internet
and provides you what you want.
Features include:
� Searching enhancement, including parallel search, searching
keywords refinement using our relevant keywords extraction
technology, relevant feedback, etc.
� Browsing assistant, including learning your current interesting,
recommending you new URLs according to your profile and selected
resources, monitoring bookmarks of Netscape or IE, sending the
current browsing page to your friends, etc.
� Offline browsing, including downloading the following pages from
the current page for offline browsing.
� Filtering HTTP header, including recording http header and all
the transactions between your browser and WWW servers, etc.
� Checking the HTML page to find the errors or dead links, etc.
� Programming in Java, independent of operating system, runing in
multi-thread.
Zeus
� Web site: www.labs.bt.com/projects/agents/zeus/
The construction of multi-agent systems involves long
development times and requires solutions to some considerable
technical difficulties. This has motivated the development of
the ZEUS toolkit, which provides a library of software
components and tools that facilitate the rapid design,
development and deployment of agent system
7.
Programming languages
While any programming language can be used for artificial
intelligence/life research, these are programming languages which are
used extensively for, if not specifically made for, artificial
intelligence programming.
Allegro CL
� Web site: www.franz.com
Franz Inc's free linux version of their lisp development
environment. You can download it or they will mail you a CD free
(you don't even have to pay for shipping). It is generally
considered to be one of the better lisp platforms.
APRIL
� Web site: sourceforge.net/project/?group_id=3173
APRIL is a symbolic programming language that is designed for
writing mobile, distributed and agent-based systems especially
in an Internet environment. It has advanced features such as a
macro sub-language, asynchronous message sending and receiving,
code mobility, pattern matching, higher-order functions and
strong typing. The language is compiled to byte-code which is
then interpreted by the APRIL runtime-engine. APRIL now
requires the InterAgent Communications Model (ICM) to be
installed before it can be installed. [Ed. ICM can be found at
the same web site]
B-Prolog
� Web site: www.sci.brooklyn.cuny.edu/~zhou/bprolog.html
� Web site: www.cad.mse.kyutech.ac.jp/people/zhou/bprolog.html
B-Prolog is a compact and complete CLP system that runs Prolog
and CLP(FD) programs. An emulator-based system, B-Prolog has a
performance comparable with SICStus-Prolog.
� In addition to Edinburgh-style programs, B-Prolog accepts
canonical-form programs that can be compiled into more compact
and faster code than standard Prolog programs.
� B-Prolog includes an interpreter and provides an interactive
interface through which users can consult, list, compile, load,
debug and run programs. The command editor facilitates reuse old
commands.
� B-Prolog provides a bi-directional interface with C and Java.>
resources in C and Java such as Graphics and sockets, and also
makes it possible for a Prolog program to be embadded in a C and
Java applications.
� B-Prolog supports most of the built-ins in ISO Prolog.
� B-Prolog supports the delaying (co-routining) mechanism, which
can be used to implement concurrency, test-and-generate search
algorithms, and most importantly constraint propagation
algorithms.
� B-Prolog has an efficient constraint compiler for constraints>
over finite-domains and Booleans.
� B-Prolog supports the tabling mechanism, which has proven
effective for applications including parsing, problem solving,
theorem proving, and deductive databases.
DHARMI
� Web site:
http://megazone.bigpanda.com/~wolf/DHARMI/
DHARMI is a high level spatial, tinker-toy like language who's
components are transparently administered by a background
process called the Habitat. As the name suggests, the language
was designed to make modelling prototypes and handle living
data. Programs can be modified while running. This is
accomplished by blurring the distinction between source code,
program, and data.
ECoLisp
� Web site (???): www.di.unipi.it/~attardi/software.html
ECoLisp (Embeddable Common Lisp) is an implementation of Common
Lisp designed for being embeddable into C based applications.
ECL uses standard C calling conventions for Lisp compiled
functions, which allows C programs to easily call Lisp functions
and viceversa. No foreign function interface is required: data
can be exchanged between C and Lisp with no need for conversion.
ECL is based on a Common Runtime Support (CRS) which provides
basic facilities for memory managment, dynamic loading and
dumping of binary images, support for multiple threads of
execution. The CRS is built into a library that can be linked
with the code of the application. ECL is modular: main modules
are the program development tools (top level, debugger, trace,
stepper), the compiler, and CLOS. A native implementation of
CLOS is available in ECL: one can configure ECL with or without
CLOS. A runtime version of ECL can be built with just the
modules which are required by the application. The ECL compiler
compiles from Lisp to C, and then invokes the GCC compiler to
produce binaries.
ESTEREL
� Web site: www-sop.inria.fr/meije/esterel/
Esterel is both a programming language, dedicated to programming
reactive systems, and a compiler which translates Esterel
programs into finite-state machines. It is particularly well-
suited to programming reactive systems, including real-time
systems and control automata.
Only the binary is available for the language compiler. :P
G�del
� Web page: www.cs.bris.ac.uk/~bowers/goedel.html
G�del is a declarative, general-purpose programming language in
the family of logic programming languages. It is a strongly
typed language, the type system being based on many-sorted logic
with parametric polymorphism. It has a module system. G�del
supports infinite precision integers, infinite precision
rationals, and also floating-point numbers. It can solve
constraints over finite domains of integers and also linear
rational constraints. It supports processing of finite sets. It
also has a flexible computation rule and a pruning operator
which generalizes the commit of the concurrent logic programming
languages. Considerable emphasis is placed on G�del's meta-
logical facilities which provide significant support for meta-
programs that do analysis, transformation, compilation,
verification, debugging, and so on.
LIFE
� Web page: www.isg.sfu.ca/life
LIFE (Logic, Inheritance, Functions, and Equations) is an
experimental programming language proposing to integrate three
orthogonal programming paradigms proven useful for symbolic
computation. From the programmer's standpoint, it may be
perceived as a language taking after logic programming,
functional programming, and object-oriented programming. From a
formal perspective, it may be seen as an instance (or rather, a
composition of three instances) of a Constraint Logic
Programming scheme due to Hoehfeld and Smolka refining that of
Jaffar and Lassez.
CLisp (Lisp)
� Web page: clisp.sourceforge.net
� FTP site: clisp.cons.org/pub/lisp/clisp/source
CLISP is a Common Lisp implementation by Bruno Haible and
Michael Stoll. It mostly supports the Lisp described by Common
LISP: The Language (2nd edition) and the ANSI Common Lisp
standard. CLISP includes an interpreter, a byte-compiler, a
large subset of CLOS (Object-Oriented Lisp) , a foreign language
interface and, for some machines, a screen editor.
The user interface language (English, German, French) is chosen
at run time. Major packages that run in CLISP include CLX &
Garnet. CLISP needs only 2 MB of memory.
CMU Common Lisp
� Web page: www.cons.org/cmucl/
� Old Web page: www.mv.com/users/pw/lisp/index.html
� FTP site: ftp2.cons.org/pub/languages/lisp/cmucl/release/
� Linux Installation: www.telent.net/lisp/howto.html
CMU Common Lisp is a public domain "industrial strength" Common
Lisp programming environment. Many of the X3j13 changes have
been incorporated into CMU CL. Wherever possible, this has been
done so as to transparently allow the use of either CLtL1 or
proposed ANSI CL. Probably the new features most interesting to
users are SETF functions, LOOP and the WITH-COMPILATION-UNIT
macro.
GCL (Lisp)
� FTP site: ftp.ma.utexas.edu/pub/gcl/
GNU Common Lisp (GCL) has a compiler and interpreter for Common
Lisp. It used to be known as Kyoto Common Lisp. It is very
portable and extremely efficient on a wide class of
applications. It compares favorably in performance with
commercial Lisps on several large theorem-prover and symbolic
algebra systems. It supports the CLtL1 specification but is
moving towards the proposed ANSI definition. GCL compiles to C
and then uses the native optimizing C compilers (e.g., GCC). A
function with a fixed number of args and one value turns into a
C function of the same number of args, returning one value, so
GCL is maximally efficient on such calls. It has a conservative
garbage collector which allows great freedom for the C compiler
to put Lisp values in arbitrary registers.
It has a source level Lisp debugger for interpreted code, with
display of source code in an Emacs window. Its profiling tools
(based on the C profiling tools) count function calls and the
time spent in each function.
GNU Prolog
� Web site: pauillac.inria.fr/~diaz/gnu-prolog/
� Web site: www.gnu.org/software/prolog/prolog.html
GNU Prolog is a free Prolog compiler with constraint solving
over finite domains developed by Daniel Diaz.
GNU Prolog accepts Prolog+constraint programs and produces
native binaries (like gcc does from a C source). The obtained
executable is then stand-alone. The size of this executable can
be quite small since GNU Prolog can avoid to link the code of
most unused built-in predicates. The performances of GNU Prolog
are very encouraging (comparable to commercial systems).
Beside the native-code compilation, GNU Prolog offers a
classical interactive interpreter (top-level) with a debugger.
The Prolog part conforms to the ISO standard for Prolog with
many extensions very useful in practice (global variables, OS
interface, sockets,...).
GNU Prolog also includes an efficient constraint solver over
Finite Domains (FD). This opens contraint logic pogramming to
the user combining the power of constraint programming to the
declarativity of logic programming.
Mercury
� Web page: www.cs.mu.oz.au/research/mercury/
Mercury is a new, purely declarative logic programming language.
Like Prolog and other existing logic programming languages, it
is a very high-level language that allows programmers to
concentrate on the problem rather than the low-level details
such as memory management. Unlike Prolog, which is oriented
towards exploratory programming, Mercury is designed for the
construction of large, reliable, efficient software systems by
teams of programmers. As a consequence, programming in Mercury
has a different flavor than programming in Prolog.
Mozart
� Web page: www.mozart-oz.org/
The Mozart system provides state-of-the-art support in two
areas: open distributed computing and constraint-based
inference. Mozart implements Oz, a concurrent object-oriented
language with dataflow synchronization. Oz combines concurrent
and distributed programming with logical constraint-based
inference, making it a unique choice for developing multi-agent
systems. Mozart is an ideal platform for both general-purpose
distributed applications as well as for hard problems requiring
sophisticated optimization and inferencing abilities. We have
developed applications in scheduling and time-tabling, in
placement and configuration, in natural language and knowledge
representation, multi-agent systems and sophisticated
collaborative tools.
SWI Prolog
� Web page: www.swi.psy.uva.nl/projects/SWI-Prolog/
� FTP site: swi.psy.uva.nl/pub/SWI-Prolog/
SWI is a free version of prolog in the Edinburgh Prolog family
(thus making it very similar to Quintus and many other
versions). With: a large library of built in predicates, a
module system, garbage collection, a two-way interface with the
C language, plus many other features. It is meant as a
educational language, so it's compiled code isn't the fastest.
Although it similarity to Quintus allows for easy porting.
XPCE is freely available in binary form for the Linux version of
SWI-prolog. XPCE is an object oriented X-windows GUI
development package/environment.
Kali Scheme
� Web site: www.neci.nj.nec.com/PLS/Kali.html
Kali Scheme is a distributed implementation of Scheme that
permits efficient transmission of higher-order objects such as
closures and continuations. The integration of distributed
communication facilities within a higher-order programming
language engenders a number of new abstractions and paradigms
for distributed computing. Among these are user-specified load-
balancing and migration policies for threads, incrementally-
linked distributed computations, agents, and parameterized
client-server applications. Kali Scheme supports concurrency and
communication using first-class procedures and continuations. It
integrates procedures and continuations into a message-based
distributed framework that allows any Scheme object (including
code vectors) to be sent and received in a message.
RScheme
� Web site:www.rscheme.org
� FTP site: ftp.rscheme.org/pub/rscheme/
RScheme is an object-oriented, extended version of the Scheme
dialect of Lisp. RScheme is freely redistributable, and offers
reasonable performance despite being extraordinarily portable.
RScheme can be compiled to C, and the C can then compiled with a
normal C compiler to generate machine code. By default, however,
RScheme compiles to bytecodes which are interpreted by a
(runtime) virtual machine. This ensures that compilation is fast
and keeps code size down. In general, we recommend using the
(default) bytecode code generation system, and only compiling
your time-critical code to machine code. This allows a nice
adjustment of space/time tradeoffs. (see web site for details)
Scheme 48
� Web site: www.neci.nj.nec.com/homepages/kelsey/
Scheme 48 is a Scheme implementation based on a virtual machine
architecture. Scheme 48 is designed to be straightforward,
flexible, reliable, and fast. It should be easily portable to
32-bit byte-addressed machines that have POSIX and ANSI C
support. In addition to the usual Scheme built-in procedures
and a development environment, library software includes support
for hygienic macros (as described in the Revised^4 Scheme
report), multitasking, records, exception handling, hash tables,
arrays, weak pointers, and FORMAT. Scheme 48 implements and
exploits an experimental module system loosely derived from
Standard ML and Scheme Xerox. The development environment
supports interactive changes to modules and interfaces.
SCM (Scheme)
� Web site: www-swiss.ai.mit.edu/~jaffer/SCM.html
� FTP site: swiss-ftp.ai.mit.edu:/archive/scm/
SCM conforms to the Revised^4 Report on the Algorithmic Language
Scheme and the IEEE P1178 specification. Scm is written in C. It
uses the following utilities (all available at the ftp site).
� SLIB (Standard Scheme Library) is a portable Scheme library
which is intended to provide compatibility and utility functions
for all standard Scheme implementations, including SCM, Chez,
Elk, Gambit, MacScheme, MITScheme, scheme->C, Scheme48, T3.1,
and VSCM, and is available as the file slib2c0.tar.gz. Written
by Aubrey Jaffer.
� JACAL is a symbolic math system written in Scheme, and is
available as the file jacal1a7.tar.gz.
� Interfaces to standard libraries including REGEX string regular
expression matching and the CURSES screen management package.
� Available add-on packages including an interactive debugger,
database, X-window graphics, BGI graphics, Motif, and Open-
Windows packages.
� A compiler (HOBBIT, available separately) and dynamic linking of
compiled modules.
Shift
� Web site: www.path.berkeley.edu/shift/
Shift is a programming language for describing dynamic networks
of hybrid automata. Such systems consist of components which
can be created, interconnected and destroyed as the system
evolves. Components exhibit hybrid behavior, consisting of
continuous-time phases separated by discrete-event transitions.
Components may evolve independently, or they may interact
through their inputs, outputs and exported events. The
interaction network itself may evolve.
YAP Prolog
� Web site: www.ncc.up.pt/~vsc/Yap/
YAP is a high-performance Prolog compiler developed at
LIACC/Universidade do Porto. Its Prolog engine is based in the
WAM (Warren Abstract Machine), with several optimizations for
better performance. YAP follows the Edinburgh tradition, and is
largely compatible with DEC-10 Prolog, Quintus Prolog, and
especially with C-Prolog. Work on the more recent version of YAP
strives at several goals:
� Portability: The whole system is now written in C. YAP compiles
in popular 32 bit machines, such as Suns and Linux PCs, and in a
64 bit machines, the Alphas running OSF Unix and Linux.
� Performance: We have optimised the emulator to obtain
performance comparable to or better than well-known Prolog
systems. In fact, the current version of YAP performs better
than the original one, written in assembly language.
� Robustness: We have tested the system with a large array of
Prolog applications.
� Extensibility: YAP was designed internally from the beginning to
encapsulate manipulation of terms. These principles were used,
for example, to implement a simple and powerful C-interface. The
new version of YAP extends these principles to accomodate
extensions to the unification algorithm, that we believe will be
useful to implement extensions such as constraint programming.
� Completeness: YAP has for a long time provided most builtins
expected from a Edinburgh Prolog implementation. These include
I/O functionality, data-base operations, and modules. Work on
YAP aims now at being compatible with the Prolog standard.
� Openess: We would like to make new development of YAP open to
the user community.
� Research: YAP has been a vehicle for research within and outside
our group. Currently research is going on on parallelisation and
tabulation, and we have started work to support constraint
handling.
