Microbot Evolution Lab

An interactive, high-performance 2D Autonomous Artificial Life & Genetic Evolution Simulation built with React 18, TypeScript, HTML5 Canvas, and WebGL overlays.

Features horizontal gene transfer (conjugation pili and transduction), fluid shear stress fields, and a 3D cladistic phylogeny visualizer.

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Live Demo & Releases

• Online Simulation: https://valliente.github.io/microbot-evolution-lab/
• Release Packages (v0.1.227): Standalone Executables & APKs

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Key Capabilities

• Autonomous Rule-Based Steering: Microbots evaluate their surrounding environment dynamically using vector steering behaviors to wander, seek food, evade hazards, and reproduce.
• Natural Selection & Genetic Inheritance: Upon reaching peak battery charge, microbots undergo asexual reproduction. Offspring inherit mutated biological traits:
  • Speed & Agility ($1.0 - 5.0\text{ px/frame}$)
  • Sensory Vision Radius ($60 - 260\text{ px}$)
  • Energy Efficiency ($0.6\times - 2.5\times$)
  • Color Hue Alignment ($0^\circ - 360^\circ\text{ HSL}$)
  • Turn Rate & Steering Precision
• Spatial Hash Grid Optimization ($O(1)$): Uses a uniform spatial hash grid to perform proximity lookups and collision checks across hundreds of active entities at 60 FPS without $O(N^2)$ slowdown.
• Interactive Spawner & Roster Telemetry:
  • Canvas Click: Click anywhere on the simulation grid to drop 5 energy points under the cursor.
  • Microbot Roster: Search, sort, and inspect microbots by Generation, Battery, Age, or Offspring count.
• Continuous Ecosystem Equilibration: Automated population minimum safeguards against extinction events, stabilizing long-term generational tracking.
• Multi-Format Standalone Desktop Distribution: Bundled with Windows Defender-verified HTML Application (MicrobotEvolutionLab.hta), native C# executable (MicrobotEvolutionLab.exe), batch launcher (PLAY.bat), and portable archive.

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Telemetry & Simulation Controls

Control / Action	Description
SELECT BOT MENU	Opens an interactive roster popup to search, sort, and lock telemetry onto any microbot.
+20 FOOD	Injects 20 energy particles onto the simulation grid.
+10 BOTS	Spawns 10 baseline microbots with randomized initial traits.
+HAZARD	Places a localized damage hazard zone to test evolutionary survival and evasion.
AUTO DEMO	Cycles telemetry camera tracking across surviving microbots every 5 seconds.
SPEED SELECTOR	Adjusts simulation clock rate from slow-motion (0.05x) up to accelerated (5.0x).

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Architecture & System Layout

microbot-evolution-lab/
├── src/
│   ├── components/
│   │   ├── Canvas/
│   │   │   └── SimulationCanvas.tsx   # 60 FPS High-DPI Canvas Rendering Engine
│   │   └── UI/
│   │       ├── ControlPanel.tsx       # Real-time Parameter Sliders & Toggles
│   │       ├── Header.tsx             # Interactive Playback Controls & Action Buttons
│   │       ├── InspectorPanel.tsx     # Live Selected Bot Telemetry Dashboard
│   │       ├── PopulationChart.tsx    # Live Canvas Sparkline Population Graph
│   │       ├── RosterModal.tsx        # Searchable Microbot Selection Roster Menu
│   │       └── StatsDashboard.tsx     # Population, Birth, Death & Trait Cards
│   ├── simulation/
│   │   ├── MicrobotEngine.ts          # Core Physics, Lifecycle & Mutation Loop
│   │   ├── SpatialGrid.ts             # O(1) Spatial Hash Grid Collision Lookups
│   │   ├── steering.ts                # Steering Vector Physics (Wander, Seek, Evade)
│   │   └── types.ts                   # TypeScript Interfaces & State Schemas
│   ├── utils/
│   │   └── storage.ts                 # LocalStorage Persistence Layer
│   ├── App.tsx                        # Main Workspace Layout & State Sync
│   └── index.css                      # Glassmorphic CSS Design System
├── build-exe.js                       # Compiles Native C# Windows Executable via csc.exe
├── build-hta.js                       # Generates Defender-Verified HTML Application (.hta)
├── PLAY.bat                           # One-Click Windows Batch Runner
└── vite.singlefile.config.ts          # Bundles Standalone Single-File Distribution

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Local Development & Compilation

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ and npm

Quick Start

# 1. Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/valliente/microbot-evolution-lab.git
cd microbot-evolution-lab

# 2. Install dependencies
npm install

# 3. Launch dev server
npm run dev

Build Standalone Executables

# Build web production bundle
npm run build

# Build single-file bundle & HTA application
npm run build:package

# Compile native C# Windows executable (MicrobotEvolutionLab.exe)
npm run build:exe

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License

Distributed under the MIT License. See LICENSE for details.