An Approach to Describe the Tierra Instruction Set Using Microoperations: The First Result

In constructing an Artificial Life system with a high potential for evolution, one of the elements that we should design most carefully is the machine structure, that is, the architecture of the system controlling the operations of a digital creature. This paper proposes an approach to modify the machine structure of Tierra in order to obtain higher evolvability. The structure of the Tierran digital creature that we propose is stimulated by the self-reproducing model proposed by von Neumann, which enables self-reproduction in a simple architecture. Verification of a digital creature’s structure was carried out through computer simulation. As a result, the capabilities of self-reproduction and parasitism were demonstrated.