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EACirc is a framework for automatic problem solving. It uses supervised learning techniques based on evolutionary algorithms to construct and optimize software circuits in order to solve the given problem.

Problems are solved by the means of hardware-like circuits - small, software-emulated circuits consisting of gates and interconnecting wires transforming input data into desired output data. The layout of these circuits is designed randomly at first. They are subsequently optimized in the process of supervised learning (inputs are provided alongside with correct outputs) until the the desired success rate is achieved.

The learning stage incorporates genetic programming principles:

• a handful of these circuits (circuit 'population') is considered simultaneously;
• each individual circuit is evaluated on the data and its 'fitness' is determined by comparison of its outputs with the expected outputs;
• individuals with low 'fitness' are deleted (survival of the fittest);
• individuals with high 'fitness' are altered ('sexiual crossover' and a small chance of 'mutation');
• the process starts over with this new 'generation' of circuits.

EACirc Framework

The EACirc framework consists of main application and several supporting tools and scripts. The modular design allows for easy addition of new problem modules ('projects') and output interpretation modules ('evaluators'). Currently, the project has following main parts:

• EACirc - the main application, constructs circuits using evolutionary principles.
• Checker - small tool used for static checking of evolved circuits on pregenerated test vectors.
• utils - set of scripts and small programs used for results processing.

EACirc framework user documentation

• Building instructions
  Step-by-step instructions for building EACirc in MS Visual Studio, Qt Creator or GNU Make.
• Running instructions
  Basic run requirements, command line arguments.
• Recommencing computation
  It is possible to continue the computation wron the save state without the loss of determinism and reproducibility.
• LaBAK@BOINC
  Notes for running the project on LaBAK's BOINC server.

Framework development documentation

• Framework components
  Components of EACirc, globally accessible resources.
• Main computation loop
  Description of main program loop, order of actions.
• Projects
  Interface and requirements for project modules.
• Evaluators
  Evaluator interface and description of standard evaluators.
• CUDA support
  Details of CUDA support for evaluating circuits.
• Testing EACirc
  Build-in self-tests using Catch testing framework.
• Third party libraries
  Description, licence and credits of used third-party libraries.
• Input/Output files structure
  EACirc produces number of output files containing circuits, statistics and saved state.

Project specific docementation

• Project eStream
  Security of eStream ciphers.
• Project SHA-3
  Security of SHA-3 hash candidates. Project yet to be added.
• Project TEA
  Security of the Tiny Encription Algorithm.
• Project Files
  Creating test vectors from external files.

Supporting tools, scripts, related works

• Checker
  Static checker for the generated circuits in C syntax.
• Scripts
  Supporting script: downloading and processing results.
• Related work
  Related work to be added.

Authors

The framework is developed at the Laboratory of Security and Applied Cryptography, Masaryk University, Brno, Czech Republic.

• Milan Čermák
  2012-now (CUDA support)
• Zdenek Říha
  2013-now (bytecode emulator)
• Marek Sýs 2013-now (project concept, results interpretation)
• Petr Švenda
  2008-now (project lead, initial implementation)
• Martin Ukrop
  2012-now (framework model, refactoring, SHA-3 candidates testing, supporting tools)

Former:

• Ondrej Dubovec
  2011-2012 (SHA-3 candidates testing)
• Matěj Prišťák
  2011-2012 (object model and refactoring, batch mode for BOINC via XML, eStream candidates testing)
• Tobiáš Smolka
  2011-2012 (BOINC related support)