In VLSI CAD, difficult optimization problems have to be solved on a constant basis. Various optimization techniques have been proposed in the past. While some of these methods have been shown to work well in applications and have become somewhat established over the years, other techniques have been ignored. Recently, there has been a growing interest in optimization algorithms based on principles observed in nature, termed Evolutionary Algorithms (EAs). Evolutionary Algorithms in VLSI CAD presents the basic concepts of EAs, and considers the application of EAs in VLSI CAD. It is the first book to show how EAs could be used to improve IC design tools and processes. Several successful applications from different areas of circuit design, like logic synthesis, mapping and testing, are described in detail. Evolutionary Algorithms in VLSI CAD consists of two parts. The first part discusses basic principles of EAs and provides some easy-to-understand examples. Furthermore, a theoretical model for multi-objective optimization is presented. In the second part a software implementation of EAs is supplied together with detailed descriptions of several EA applications. These applications cover a wide range of VLSI CAD, and different methods for using EAs are described. Evolutionary Algorithms in VLSI CAD is intended for CAD developers and researchers as well as those working in evolutionary algorithms and techniques supporting modern design tools and processes.

Evolutionary algorithms are general-purpose search procedures based on the mechanisms of natural selection and population genetics. They are appealing because they are simple, easy to interface, and easy to extend. This volume is concerned with applications of evolutionary algorithms and associated strategies in engineering. It will be useful for engineers, designers, developers, and researchers in any scientific discipline interested in the applications of evolutionary algorithms. The volume consists of five parts, each with four or five chapters. The topics are chosen to emphasize application areas in different fields of engineering. Each chapter can be used for self-study or as a reference by practitioners to help them apply evolutionary algorithms to problems in their engineering domains.

Evolution is Nature’s design process. The natural world is full of wonderful examples of its successes, from engineering design feats such as powered flight, to the design of complex optical systems such as the mammalian eye, to the merely stunningly beautiful designs of orchids or birds of paradise. With increasing computational power, we are now able to simulate this process with greater fidelity, combining complex simulations with high-performance evolutionary algorithms to tackle problems that used to be impractical. This book showcases the state of the art in evolutionary algorithms for design. The chapters are organized by experts in the following fields: evolutionary design and "intelligent design" in biology, art, computational embryogeny, and engineering. The book will be of interest to researchers, practitioners and graduate students in natural computing, engineering design, biology and the creative arts.

When trying to find new methods and problem-solving strategies for their research, scientists often turn to nature for inspiration. An excellent example of this is the application of Darwin's Theory of Evolution, particularly the notion of the 'survival of the fittest', in computer programs designed to search for optimal solutions to many kinds of problems. These 'evolutionary algorithms' start from a population of possible solutions to a given problem and, by applying evolutionary principles, evolve successive generations with improved characteristics until an optimal, or near-optimal, solution is obtained. This book highlights the versatility of evolutionary algorithms in areas of relevance to molecular design with a particular focus on drug design. The authors, all of whom are experts in their field, discuss the application of these computational methods to a wide range of research problems including conformational analysis, chemometrics and quantitative structure-activity relationships, de novo molecular design, chemical structure handling, combinatorial library design, and the study of protein folding. In addition, the use of evolutionary algorithms in the determination of structures by X-ray crystallography and NMR spectroscopy is also covered. These state-of-the-art reviews, together with a discussion of new techniques and future developments in the field, make this book a truly valuable and highly up-to-date resource for anyone engaged in the application or development of computer-assisted methods in scientific research.

"Evolutionary Design By Computers offers an enticing preview of the future of computer-aided design: Design by Darwin." Lawrence J. Fogel, President, Natural Selection, Inc. "Evolutionary design by computers is the major revolution in design thinking of the 20th century and this book is the best introduction available." Professor John Frazer, Swire Chair and Head of School of Design, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Author of "An Evolutionary Architecture" "Peter Bentley has assembled and edited an important collection of papers that demonstrate, convincingly, the utility of evolutionary computation for engineering solutions to complex problems in design." David B. Fogel, Editor-in-Chief, IEEE Transactions on Evolutionary Computation Some of the most startling achievements in the use of computers to automate design are being accomplished by the use of evolutionary search algorithms to evolve designs. Evolutionary Design By Computers provides a showcase of the best and most original work of the leading international experts in Evolutionary Computation, Engineering Design, Computer Art, and Artificial Life. By bringing together the highest achievers in these fields for the first time, including a foreword by Richard Dawkins, this book provides the definitive coverage of significant developments in Evolutionary Design. This book explores related sub-areas of Evolutionary Design, including: design optimization creative design the creation of art artificial life. It shows for the first time how techniques in each area overlap, and promotes the cross-fertilization of ideas and methods.

Concentrates on developing intuition about evolutionary computation and problem solving skills and tool sets. Lots of applications and test problems, including a biotechnology chapter.

Despite decades of work in evolutionary algorithms, there remains an uncertainty as to the relative benefits and detriments of using recombination or mutation. This book provides a characterization of the roles that recombination and mutation play in evolutionary algorithms. It integrates important prior work and introduces new theoretical techniques for studying evolutionary algorithms. Consequences of the theory are explored and a novel method for comparing search and optimization algorithms is introduced. The focus allows the book to bridge multiple communities, including evolutionary biologists and population geneticists.