TEQnation 2023: Tight Genes: Intro to Genetic Algorithms – Dave Aronson

Yes, that’s right, geneTic, not geneRic. Genetic algorithms are shortcuts to “evolve” solutions to problems, similar to real-world biological evolution, usually finding a suitable (though not necessarily best) solution more quickly than precise calculation or brute-forcing through all possible options. This often reveals great solutions that humans probably would never have thought of, such as the twisty NASA ST5 spacecraft antenna, developed by a genetic algorithm in 2006!This talk will explain the concept and some terms, and then walk you through some examples, explaining more terms along the way. First I will show creating some simple genetic algorithms, such as helping a farmer decide what to take to the village market, and “evolving” good Dungeons & Dragons characters to fit different classes. Next, I will show extracting from these a simple generic “evolver”. Last, I will show creating some more algorithms for the evolver to run, such as mead recipes to yield a desired level of sweetness and alcohol, by supplying only the parts that vary.You will come away equipped with a powerful technique for solving problems in ways no human would probably ever think of directly!