Version 0.4.0 of the Watchmaker Framework for Evolutionary Computation is now available for download. This release adds support for interactive evolutionary algorithms. An example applet, based on Richard Dawkin’s famous Biomorph program, demonstrates how the framework can be used with an interactive selection strategy. Using the applet you can direct the evolution of recursive pictures that resemble biological entities such as plants and insects.
The new release also adds a blazingly fast random number generator (a Java port of Tony Pasqualoni’s cellular automaton RNG). This RNG out-performs even the Mersenne Twister. By offering this RNG as an option, the framework provides potential for improved evolutionary performance.