From Object Evolution to Object Emergence

International audienceDatabase applications which model aspects of the real world should be able to express as accurately as possible the different nuances of reality; that includes the need to evolve internally in response to signals of updates coming from the environment. These updates are not always supplied in an ideal and complete manner and are not always predefined or precisely defined. In practice, requirements for evolution generally occur during the manipulation of objects while running the database. It is frequently necessary to change individual objects, less frequently the database schema. Database systems need to have mechanisms capable, whenever and as well as possible, of assimilating this new information correctly and diagnosing and implementing the changes necessary. This paper concerns the evolution of objects inside databases. Our two main objectives are: - to allow objects to evolve their structures dynamically during database maintenance and use, with all necessary impacts on the database schema; - to allow, similarly, the creation and display of different plans for evolving the design, like ways of schema evolution, giving in this way a simulation tool for database design and maintenance. So, we propose a Genetic Evolution Object Model developed to have inherent capabilities for auto-adaptation between classes and instance