CA318 - practical

CA318 practical

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The World-Wide-Mind

The practical is based on the "World-Wide-Mind" project.

Involves the research website w2mind.computing.dcu.ie.

• Quick introduction

• Longer introduction

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Practice - Lab

When we "run" the Mind in the World, we repeatedly ask the World to describe itself by sending it a "Get State" message, then we ask the Mind what to do by sending it a "Get Action" message, then we execute the action by sending the World server a "Take Action" message.

1. Run a Mind in a World
   • ImageWorld (see description)
   • ImageMind (run with images)

2. Register so you can upload Minds and worlds
   • Register
   • Please use your proper name in the "Name" field (no nicknames), or scores will NOT be properly credited to you.

3. Write a Mind for a World
   • Tyrrell's World (see description)
   • How to write a Mind for Tyrrell's World

4. Write a World
   • How to write a World

5. 2-D graphics
   • Skeleton2DImgWorld

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Practical - Write a Mind

Here are the best Worlds written by last year's 3rd year class:

• Selected Worlds

Pick one of these Worlds. Write a good Mind for it.

• For now, Minds and Worlds have to be written in Java.
• Any OS should work.

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Submission

• Get your Mind online.
• Get onto the scoreboard for the World.
• Explain in a short write-up why your Mind is good.
• Include the full commented source code of all programs involved.
  Code should be colour, syntax-highlighted printout in landscape mode (the best way to print code.)
• Give me a tidy, bound write-up on paper by the deadline.
• Make sure these are written on your submission:
  1. Course: CA318
  2. Lecturer: Mark Humphrys
  3. Your name
  4. Your student number
• Drop it into the project box in L114 that has my name and "CA318" on it.

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Your Mind may be used by others in the future

Your Mind when uploaded on our server may be used by others in unpredictable ways.

It may be used for further experiments in our WWM research project, which aims to find ways of building up complex Minds composed of the works of multiple authors. Previous students' work has ended up being re-used in larger, multi-author systems, and even discussed in various scientific papers.

If you do not want this to happen, you can delete your Mind at any time. (But wait until after you have got your practical results!)