Boris Schafer

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About

Boris Schafer is a researcher whose work lies at the intersection of artificial life, evolutionary robotics, and cognitive science. His most influential contribution is a pioneering 2007 study, "Evolution of Tool Use Behavior," which demonstrated that complex tool-use strategies can emerge purely through artificial evolution, without any learning or lifetime adaptation. Using simulated robotic agents, Schafer showed that evolution alone can produce behaviors ranging from simple object manipulation to sophisticated tool-based problem-solving—a finding that challenges assumptions about the necessity of learning for such advanced cognition. Despite its modest citation count of 6, this paper is notable for its conceptual boldness and foundational impact on the field of evolved tool use. Schafer’s research provides key insights into how intelligence and tool use can arise from basic evolutionary processes, offering a compelling bridge between biological evolution and artificial systems. His work continues to inspire researchers exploring the origins of complex behavior in both natural and artificial agents.