Bio-inspired Artificial Creatures for Populating Virtual Worlds

Abstract

With the aim of populating virtual worlds with more and more different artificial creatures, we propose an ontogenetic and phylogenetic hybrid model. This model must generate bio-inspired artificial creatures, from an initial single cell and possesses metabolism, morphology, and behavior. The initial purpose of our work is to generate organisms which are thereafter used to define complete creatures. Thus, we introduce in this paper, a cellular development model using the two approaches from the field of ontogenesis systems: grammatical and cell chemistry approaches. Ontogenesis models simulate the development of multicellular organisms starting from a single cell. For the grammatical part, we propose an alternative to parametric L-systems (APL-systems) in order to simulate morphogenesis of organisms according to their internal states. The developed organisms have a metabolism using environmental molecules to grow and act. Moreover, they are able to exhibit almost perfect self-repairing characteristics when subjected to severe damage.