From GAs to artificial immune systems: improving adaptation in time dependent optimization

The paper explores Time Dependent Optimization (Tdo) as a measure of adaptiveness in artificial systems. We first discuss this choice and review classical Tdo models to propose a canonic benchmark. Then we underline the central role of diversity in adaptive dynamics for biological and cybernetic systems and illustrate by a state of the art of evolutionary Tdo (Etdo). A Simple Artificial Immune System (Sais) is then proposed and experimentally compared to Etdo. Encouraging results are explained by strong analogies between Sais and GAs as well as Sais's ability to manage stable heterogeneous populations as a model of Idiotypic Networks. We conclude by discussing the relevance of artificial immune systems as genuinely adaptive artificial systems.