MIT Electrical Engineering and Computer Science Fall 2002 Catalogue Supplement

6.978 Biologically Motivated Programming Technology for Robust Systems (H)

L T3-5, Room 34-301
Professor Abelson, Room NE43-429, 3-5856
Prereq.: permission of instructor required
2-0-10

This subject does not qualify as an Engineering Concetration subject.

Introduction to research on new algorithms, principles, and programming languages for achieving coherent, reliable, and complex behavior from the cooperation of large numbers of identically programmed agents. A major source of metaphors for this technology comes from biology. For example, during development, cells with identical DNA cooperate to form complex structures, with incredible precision and robustness in the face of continually dying and renewing parts. Students review relevant literature from both computer science and biology, and undertake and on original research projects.