Developing a Simple Neuroevolutionary Platform

Abstract

In this chapter, we take our first step towards neuroevolution. Having developed a NN system capable of having its synaptic weights optimized, we will combine it with an evolutionary algorithm. We will create a population_monitor, a process that spawns a population of NN systems, monitors their performance, applies a selection algorithm to the NNs in the population, and generates the mutant offspring from the fit NNs, while removing the unfit. In this chapter we also add topological mutation operators to our neuroevolutionary system, which will allow the population_monitor to evolve the NNs by adding new neural elements to their topologies. By the end of this chapter, our system becomes a fully-fledged Topology and Weight Evolving Artificial Neural Network.