Automated Synthesis by Means of Genetic Programming of Complex Structures Incorporating Reuse, Parameterized Reuse, Hierarchies, and Development

Genetic programming can be used as an automated invention machine to synthesize designs for complex structures. In particular, genetic programming has automatically synthesized complex structures that infringe, improve upon, or duplicate the functionality of 21 previously patented inventions (including analog electrical circuits, controllers, and mathematical algorithms). Genetic programming has also generated two patentable new inventions (involving controllers). Genetic programming has also generated numerous additional human-competitive results involving the design of quantum computing circuits as well as other substantial results involving antennae, networks of chemical reactions (metabolic pathways), and genetic networks. We believe that these results are the direct consequence of a group of techniques—many unique to genetic programming—that facilitate the automatic synthesis of complex structures. These techniques include automatic reuse, parameterized reuse, parameterized topologies, and developmental genetic programming. The paper describes these techniques and how they contribute to automated design.