While development plays a critical role in the emergence
of diversity, its mechanical and chemical actions are considered
to be inextricably correlated with genetic control. Since
in most extant species the complex growth from zygote to
adult organism is orchestrated by a complex gene regulatory
network (GRN), the prevalent view is that the evolution
of diverse morphologies must result from the evolution
of diverse GRN topologies. By contrast, this work focuses
on the unique e ect of developmental processes through an
abstract model of self-regulated structure without genetic
regulation|only modulation of initial conditions. Here,
morphologies are generated by a simple evolutionary algorithm
searching for the longest instances of unfolding dynamics
based on tensegrity graphs. The usual regulatory
function of the genome is taken over by physical constraints
in the graphs, making morphological diversity a pure product
of structural complexi cation. By highlighting the potential
of structural development, our model is relevant to
both "structuralist" biological models and bio-inspired systems
engineering.
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