The SOMA project (Self Organizing MulticellulAr Structures) is a a new model for the development of artificial creatures from a single cell. The model aims to provide a more biologically plausible abstraction of the morphogenesis and the specialization process, which the organogenesis process follows. It is built upon three main elements : a cellular physics system that simulates division and intercellular adhesion dynamics, a simplified cell cycle offering to the cells the possibility to select actions such as division, quiescence, differentiation or apoptosis and, finally, a cell specialization mechanism quantifying the ability to perform different functions. An evolved artificial gene regulatory network is employed as a cell controller.
The following video shows an example of generation of an articifial creature with this model. The artificial organism must survive in a constrained environment. The cells are attack by harmfull particles against which they have to resist with a specialization process. However, this specialization implies the loss of their capacity to energitically sustain in the environment. Therefore, the cells must find a symbiotic strategy in order to survive.
Jean Disset (Ph.D. student)
Sylvain Cussat-Blanc (Université Toulouse 1 Capitole - IRIT)
Yves Duthen (Université Toulouse 1 Capitole - IRIT)