(Note: the ECoMASS Workshop takes place in conjunction with the GECCO 2014 conference.)
Evolutionary computation (EC) and multi-agent systems and simulation (MASS) both involve populations of agents. EC is a learning technique by which a population of individual agents adapt according to the selection pressures exerted by an environment; MASS seeks to understand how to coordinate the actions of a population of (possibly selfish) autonomous agents that share an environment so that some outcome is achieved. Both EC and MASS have top-down and bottom up features. For example, some aspects of multi-agent system engineering (e.g., mechanism design) are concerned with how top-down structure can constrain or influence individual decisions. Similarly, most work in EC is concerned with how to engineer selective pressures to drive the evolution of individual behavior towards some desired goal. Multi-agent simulation (also called agent-based modeling) addresses the bottom-up issue of how collective behavior emerges from individual action. Likewise, the study of evolutionary dynamics within EC (for example in coevolution) often considers how population-level phenomena emerge from individual-level interactions. Thus, at a high level, we may view EC and MASS as examining and utilizing analogous processes. It is therefore natural to consider how knowledge gained within EC may be relevant to MASS, and vice versa; indeed, applications and techniques from one field have often made use of technologies and algorithms from the other field. Studying EC and MASS in combination is warranted and has the potential to contribute to both fields.
The EcoMASS workshop, now in its 8th iteration, welcomes original submissions on all aspects of Evolutionary Computation and Multi-Agent Systems and Simulation, which include (but are not limited to) the following topics and themes:
Each accepted paper will be presented orally at the workshop and distributed in the workshop proceedings to all GECCO attendees. Authors should follow the same format as is used for the GECCO conference papers; refer to http://www.sigevo.org/gecco-2014/papers.html for details. Manuscripts should not exceed 8 pages. Papers should be submitted by March 28, 2014 (EXTENDED TO APRIL 7, 2014) in PDF format to forrest.stonedahl@centre.edu with "ECoMASS paper submission" in the subject line.
Paper submission deadline: March 28, 2014 (EXTENDED TO APRIL 7, 2014)
Notification of acceptance: April 15, 2014
Camera-ready deadline: April 25, 2014
Accepted Author Registration deadline: TBA
Date: July 12, 2014
Time: 8:30-12:30
Location: Port Hardy Room, Sheraton Wall Centre, Vancouver, Canada
Dynamic Learning of Heart Sounds with Changing Noise: An AIS-Based Multi-Agent Model Using Systemic Computation; Yiqi Deng, Peter J. Bentley
A Genetic Based Scheduling Approach of Real-Time Reconfigurable Embedded Systems; Hamza Gharsellaoui, Hamadi Hasni, Samir Ben Ahmed
A Study on the Configuration of Migratory Flows in Island Model Differential Evolution; Rodolfo A. Lopes, Rodrigo C. Pedrosa Silva, Alan R. R. Freitas, Felipe Campelo, Frederico G. Guimaraes
The Effect of Communication on the Evolution of Cooperative Behavior in a Multi-Agent System; Sherri Goings, Emily P. M. Johnston, Naozumi Hiranuma
Modeling the Information Propagation in an Email Communication Network Using an Agent-Based Approach; Bin Jiang, Lei Wang, Chao Yang, Shuming Peng, Renfa Li
8:30 Welcome and Introductions
8:50 A Genetic Based Scheduling Approach of Real-Time Reconfigurable Embedded Systems; Hamza Gharsellaoui, Hamadi Hasni, Samir Ben Ahmed
9:20 A Study on the Configuration of Migratory Flows in Island Model Differential Evolution; Rodolfo A. Lopes, Rodrigo C. Pedrosa Silva, Alan R. R. Freitas, Felipe Campelo, Frederico G. Guimaraes
9:50 The Effect of Communication on the Evolution of Cooperative Behavior in a Multi-Agent System; Sherri Goings, Emily P. M. Johnston, Naozumi Hiranuma
10:20 Coffee Break
10:40 Modeling the Information Propagation in an Email Communication Network Using an Agent-Based Approach; Bin Jiang, Lei Wang, Chao Yang, Shuming Peng, Renfa Li
11:10 Dynamic Learning of Heart Sounds with Changing Noise: An AIS-Based Multi-Agent Model Using Systemic Computation; Yiqi Deng, Peter J. Bentley
11:20 Research Slam
Automated Generation of Environments to Test the General Learning Capabilities of AI Agents
Oliver Coleman, Alan D. Blair, Jeff Clune
Generational Neuro-Evolution: Restart and Retry for Improvement
David Peter Shorten, Geoffrey Stuart Nitschke
Overcoming Deception in Evolution of Cognitive Behaviors
Joel Lehman, Risto Miikkulainen
Encouraging Creating Thinking in Robots Improves Their Ability to Solve Challenging Problems
Jingyu Li, Jed Storie, Jeff Clune
The Evolution of Kin Inclusivity Levels
Anya Johnson, Heather J. Goldsby, Sherri Goings, Charles Ofria
Evolution of Communication and Cooperation
Jason Fairey, Terence Soule
Coevolutionary Learning of Swarm Behaviors Without Metric
Wei Li, Melvin Gauci, Roderick Gross
Novelty Search Creates Robots with General Skills for Exploration
Roby Velez, Jeff Clune
Evolutionary Agent-Based Simulation of the Introduction of New Technologies in Air Traffic Management
Logan Yliniemi, Adrian K. Agogino, Kagan Tumer
Evolving Neural Networks that Are Both Modular and Regular: HyperNeat Plus the Connection
Cost Technique
Joost Huizinga, Jeff Clune, Jean-Baptiste Mouret
Evolvability is Inevitable
Joel Lehman, Ken Stanley
12:20 Wrap-up and Final Discussion
12:30 End of Workshop
Workshop Chairs
Program Committee for ECoMASS 2014
Former Program Committee Members
Former ECoMASS Chairs
Link back to the GECCO 2014 Conference Website.