The Living Systems Project (LIFE) was initially formed in 1991 to develop optical computer architectures. This activity developed into the design of hierarchical less-than-formally rational computational systems and the investigation of "lifelike" information processing. Its activities are currently focused on the transfer of state-of-the-art theories of neural computation, biological co-evolution, consciousness and hierarchical complex systems into the design of both integrated digitally-interfaced lifelike computation for ULSI "systems-on-a-chip" and self-organizing global processing networks for the second decade of the 21st century.

LIFE has an international reputation in the development of theories of hierarchical complex systems, computational neuroscience, emergent processing, natural semiotics and anticipatory computation.