and visit to University of Tokyo, Department of Precision Machinery

History of AROB
Some interesting topics :

Future Intelligent Systems

DNA computing

Impression on U. of Tokyo research activities
Robotic Dog : AIBO in the world cub soccer  2000

History of AROB

• ALIFE  87 89 92 94 96 98 2000
• ECAL   91 93 95 97 99    (European counterpart of ALIFE)
• AROB  96 97 98 99 2000 (Asian ALIFE + Robotics)

Topics

Large number of participants are Japanese PhD and new faculties.

Future Intelligent Systems.

Intelligent Systems :  A system which enhances human intelligence by the use of science and technology.
Example : internet, mobile phone, manufacturing, transportation, space, distance learning etc.
Traditional intelligent systems : efficiency for system managers not for customers.
Future intelligent systems :  human friendly, human is customer not just manager.
Example : electric hybrid vehicles  (Honda ,  100 km/ 3 litres )

New meets Old

IMS  System AI Brain sci  Intelligent Sys

ITS  Power sys
                          ALIFE & Robotics
micro VLSI  Quantum
machine     Computing     Microtechnology

ME  EE      CS Material
 
Intelligent Transport System : Intelligent Highway
60 x 10^12  yen  by 2015
Software for this project will be as challenging as internet
VICS (highway),  ITC (toll), AHS  (smart vehicle)

Internet is an engineering realization of telepathy

Distance learning : shared white board, voice, small no. of students.
TMIT and MIT  , 3-4 students do a design project,  automatic parking of a car.

DNA computing

• unconventional parallel distributed system,
• massive processing in terms of molecular forms of DNA,
• corresponding operations on the biological media : test tube (instead of semiconductor).
• Molecular quantum computer

• massively parallel
• ultra small
• very low energy consumption

How to encode problem into DNA

Simulation at level of gene
(ATR group)

• search for compound that can perform logic functions
• "running" the program by protein interaction
• test on real genome sequence

Model =

the standard DNA model +
context sensitive grammar +
CA with random-chaotic-syntactic parsing/generating +
mRNA-enzyme reaction +
protein verification

• the wetware evolution for biological cellular automata
• the implementation in vitro
• the available support from massively parallel real-time computing  (CAM-BRAIN)
• the possible applications : medical treatment for human fatal disease (Alzheimer, Parkinson, etc.)

• database of 3 billion bases of human DNA will become public.
• more than 20 species of bacteria have been sequenced.

molecular computing

• PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is the standard laboratory procedure to amplify DNA sequences.
• PCR process can be used to simulate a state-machine implemented in DNAs. (fig 4 p. 739 )
• each DNA performs like a small Turing machine.

Each DNA consisted of three parts : program, data and head.  The head accesses a particular location in the program (or data), copies one symbol, and is detached.  In the next cycle, the copied symbol becomes the head, and it will access another location.  The flapping movement is regulated by the reaction temperature, and the termination after copying is skillfully implemented in the DNA sequence.
(from : Arita, M., "Bio-computing in the 21th century", Proc. of the 5th Int. Symp. on Aritificial Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, 2000, pp.737-740).