Soft-Body Muscles for Evolved Virtual Creatures: The Next Step on a Bio-Mimetic Path to Meaningful Morphological Complexity

In the past, evolved virtual creatures (EVCs) have been developed
with rigid, segmented bodies, and with soft bodies,
but never before with a combination of the two. In nature,
however, creatures combining a rigid skeleton and non-rigid
muscles are some of the most complex and successful examples
of life on earth. Now, for the first time, creatures with
fully evolved rigid-body skeletons and soft-body muscles can
be developed in the virtual world, as well. By exploiting
and re-purposing the capabilities of existing soft-body simulation
systems, we can evolve complex and effective simulated
muscles, able to drive a rigid-body skeleton. In this way,
we can begin to bridge the gap between articulated and softbodied
EVCs, and take the next step on a nature-inspired path
to meaningful morphological complexity for evolved virtual
creatures.