Nick Jakobi
Papers
8
Total Citations
1,216
H-Index
7
About
Nick Jakobi is a pioneering figure in evolutionary robotics, best known for tackling the fundamental challenge of transferring simulated evolution to real-world robots—the so-called “reality gap.” His seminal 1995 paper, “Noise and the Reality Gap” (618 citations), introduced a radical solution: by deliberately adding noise during simulation, evolved controllers become robust enough to function on physical hardware. This work, along with his “Radical Envelope-of-Noise Hypothesis” (265 citations), established a core methodology still used today. Jakobi also advanced robot control by inventing GasNets, a novel type of artificial neural network inspired by diffusing neuromodulators like nitric oxide. His 1998 paper “Better Living Through Chemistry” (152 citations) demonstrated how these networks could be evolved for complex tasks, opening new avenues for bio-inspired control. Beyond these technical contributions, Jakobi’s research on open-ended evolution and minimal simulations—such as evolving octopod locomotion (65 citations)—has shaped how researchers design experiments that bridge simulation and reality. His work remains essential reading for anyone seeking to build adaptive, physically embodied robots through artificial evolution.
Research Focus
Key Achievements
Top Papers
- 1Noise and the reality gap: The use of simulation in evolutionary robotics618 citations · 1995
- 2Evolutionary Robotics and the Radical Envelope-of-Noise Hypothesis265 citations · 1997
- 3Better Living Through Chemistry: Evolving GasNets for Robot Control152 citations · 1998
- 4Harnessing morphogenesis79 citations · 2003
- 5
- 6Some problems (and a few solutions) for open-ended evolutionary robotics18 citations · 1998
- 7Brains, Gases and Robots14 citations · 1998
- 8Robot Space Exploration by Trial and Error5 citations · 1998