Intro Immunology

Essay text:

Inspired by Immunology • Recently computer science has found inspiration by immunity; i.e. computer networks protection from hackers and worm programs o It is attractive because it can respond from a position of ignorance of potential threats, and “it has not boss” but simply many cells that still work to an end • As lymphocytes are produced a process of random genetic shuffling results in Ab being put together in subtly different ways, then they undergo negative selection (to weed out harmful autoimmune attacks), those that do not interact with an antigen die, those that to proliferate o Abs that bond more effectively well divide more rapidly and therefore the response becomes more precise • Use in a computer system like the acquired immunity system o Fraud detection: Series of rules created randomly, then sent to live in legitimate transactions, detectors that are alerted to unusual activity proliferate with slight differences • More like the innate system o robotic systems to clear minefields, search and rescue missions or chart unexplored territory o Clearing minefields by random patterns of movement until detection of a cluster of mines, at which point the robot will call on other robots close by (not farther away) to help ? The robot’s software may be selected as more efficient for detecting mines so it may be broadcasted to other robots as to proliferate its effectiveness as with mutations in the immune system (i...