Findings out of the evolutionary theory, which stem from scientists like Humberto Maturana, have now also entered technology. For todays example more precisely into robotics.
At the University of Vermont (USA) a robot has been equipped with a software model allowing it, despite the loss of one of his legs, to find alternative ways of movement. Similar to the adaptation to changing boundary conditions initiated by the functional loss of one of its actuators. That behaviour is enabled through the robots self-learned self-description, which the robot creates by itself while learning to come to a movement utilizing its actuators in complete self-responsibility. This instead of it relying on externally programmed patterns. Or in other words: The robot disposes over a image of self in relation to its actuators and possible movements and the out of his experience derived knowledge over its own possibilities of movement.
It becomes interesting once the robot looses one of his leg mechanisms that allow to propel into a direction. It cognizes that the used patterns so far don’t work anymore. Now it looks at its possible alternatives, tries to do something different until it cognizes that movement is again working. In that approach, the robot more than not starts walking again.
Similar and evolutionary approaches are also used in Switzerland at the Laboratory of Intelligent Systems in Lausanne and brought into connection with technology. Interesting case studies how research in technology are using other approaches than the linear mechanistic way of thinking. And with that creating results that are observable on us as well.