BaseCamp Thu AM

From Dev8D

Contents 1 Challenges + Discussions: Genetic Algorithms, Construction Challenge 1, Linked Data 2 API Challenges Here 2.1 Organised by 2.2 Attending 2.3 Introduction 3 Scrap (paper) Heap Challenge #1 (Concludes) 4 Genetic Algorithms and Emergence - Session 2 4.1 Organised by 4.2 Introduction 4.3 Attending 5 Cloud Computing - Session 2 5.1 Organised by 5.2 Attending 5.3 Introduction 6 Other Discussions 6.1 Apache Wookie (Incubating) - A Widget Framework 6.2 Organised by 6.3 Attending 6.4 Introduction

Challenges + Discussions: Genetic Algorithms, Construction Challenge 1, Linked Data

#dev8d #bc

When:	Thu 25th 10:30-13:00
Where:	BaseCamp
Twitter Tags:	#dev8d #bc

API Challenges Here

Organised by

• Mr User

Attending

If you are thinking of getting involved in this session, you may want to add your name below (you need to a be a registered Dev8D participant):

• mr User

Introduction

The BaseCamp will have an area with tables where people can group together to tackle one of the API challenges launched on the first day.

Scrap (paper) Heap Challenge #1 (Concludes)

Organised by: Dave Challis & Christopher Gutteridge

• See BaseCamp Wed PM for details

Genetic Algorithms and Emergence - Session 2

Organised by

• Richard Jones

Introduction

This session is centred around some basic aspects of Genetic Algorithms/Evolutionary Computing and Emergent properties of evolutionary systems. Sounds harder than it is, promise!

The core activity will be focused on creating "creatures" which can solve an arbitrary (randomly generated) maze with varying degrees of success. The code for the experiment is provided, written in Python, and participants will be encouraged to think about how to make best use of this code to achieve the following goals:

• Produce creatures which are capable of navigating the maze from start to finish (survival)
• Produce creatures which are capable of finishing the maze faster than other creatures (specialisation)
• Produce creatures which can solve a broad variety of different mazes (generalisation)

All aspects of the experiment are open to (re-)interpretation. Participants will be encouraged not just to play with the provided environment, but also to come up with their own ideas for:

• How to test the "fitness" of a creature's solution to a maze
• How to evolve creatures from one generation to the next to improve the chances of "fitter" offspring

Visualisation of solutions will be done using Processing (http://www.processing.org/), but this too is open to modification, if participants would like to play with the visualisation aspects of the problem.

There will also be toys to play with, which encapsulate in the physical world some of the ideas we'll be applying to the virtual world above. We'll be looking to draw parallels between these fun and games to our work interests: the construction and maintenance of a distributed, federated, disjointed, connected information environment.

At the end of the event, everything is up for grabs - best contributions to the sessions stand to win DNA models and Hexbugs.

There will also be an opportunity to learn more about Typogenetics, the image breeding background game going on at Dev8D.

Attending

If you are thinking of getting involved in this session, you may want to add your name below (you need to a be a registered Dev8D participant):

• Richard Jones
• Sebastian Starke

Cloud Computing - Session 2

Organised by

• Dave Tarrant
• Ben Charlton

Attending

If you are thinking of getting involved in this session, you may want to add your name below (you need to a be a registered Dev8D participant):

• Dave Tarrant
• Ben Charlton

Introduction

Organiser can put more information about this session here.

Other Discussions

Apache Wookie (Incubating) - A Widget Framework

Organised by

• Ross Gardler

Attending

If you are thinking of getting involved in this session, you may want to add your name below (you need to a be a registered Dev8D particpant):

• Ross Gardler
• Mark Johnson
• Mahendra Mahey
• Scott Wilson
• Steve Lee
• Dan Hagon
• Michael Aherne
• Sander van der Waal
• Monica Duke

Introduction

Apache Wookie (Incubating) is a W3C Widget Engine that also incorporates elements of Google Wave. It originally came from an EC funded project at the University of Bolton who are working on it as part of a suite of teaching support tools.

Wookie allows you to embed widgets/gadgets in your web applications (including existing apps like Moodle and Elgg), desktop or smartphone environment with minimal effort.

In these session which run throughout the event we will be hacking on cool widgets and helping those new to the technology get started. By the end of the session you should be able to build your own widgets - better still, you should have already built some.

OSS Watch are running a Wookie training day 11 February which will provide an ideal hands-on opportunity to gain widget creation skills in preparation for this camp session.