Two different approaches to a macroscopic model of a bio-inspired robotic swarm

By compiling macroscopic models we analyze the adaptive behavior in a swarm of autonomous robots generated by a bio-inspired, distributed control algorithm. We developed two macroscopic models by taking two different perspectives: A Stock & Flow model, which is simple to implement and fast to simulate, and a spatially resolved model based on diffusion processes. These two models were compared concerning their prediction quality and their analytical power: One model allowed easy identification of the major feedback loops governing the swarm behavior. The other model allowed analysis of the expected shapes and positions of observable robot clusters. We found a high correlation in the challenges posed by both modeling techniques and we highlighted the inherent problems of inferring emergent macroscopic rules from a microscopic description of swarm behavior.

[1]  Heiko Hamann,et al.  Space-Time Continuous Models of Swarm Robotic Systems - Supporting Global-to-Local Programming , 2010, Cognitive Systems Monographs.

[2]  Nikolaus Correll,et al.  System Identification of Self-Organizing Robotic Swarms , 2006, DARS.

[3]  Tad Hogg,et al.  Modeling and mathematical analysis of swarms of microscopic robots , 2005, Proceedings 2005 IEEE Swarm Intelligence Symposium, 2005. SIS 2005..

[4]  S Erol.  Swarm Robotics: From Sources of Inspiration to Domains of Application , 2005 .

[5]  Serge Kernbach,et al.  Get in touch: cooperative decision making based on robot-to-robot collisions , 2009, Autonomous Agents and Multi-Agent Systems.

[6]  O. Khatib,et al.  Real-Time Obstacle Avoidance for Manipulators and Mobile Robots , 1985, Proceedings. 1985 IEEE International Conference on Robotics and Automation.

[7]  A. Gray,et al.  I. THE ORIGIN OF SPECIES BY MEANS OF NATURAL SELECTION , 1963 .

[8]  Serge Kernbach,et al.  Re-embodiment of Honeybee Aggregation Behavior in an Artificial Micro-Robotic System , 2009, Adapt. Behav..

[9]  Marco Dorigo,et al.  From Natural to Artificial Swarm Intelligence , 1999 .

[10]  T. Seeley,et al.  Collective decision-making in honey bees: how colonies choose among nectar sources , 1991, Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

[11]  Vito Trianni,et al.  Evolutionary Swarm Robotics - Evolving Self-Organising Behaviours in Groups of Autonomous Robots , 2008, Studies in Computational Intelligence.

[12]  Erol Sahin,et al.  A Macroscopic Model for Self-organized Aggregation in Swarm Robotic Systems , 2006, Swarm Robotics.

[13]  Dario Floreano,et al.  Minimalist Coherent Swarming of Wireless Networked Autonomous Mobile Robots , 2002 .

[14]  Sergey Kornienko,et al.  IR-based Communication and Perception in Microrobotic Swarms , 2011, ArXiv.

[15]  David W. Payton,et al.  Pheromone Robotics , 2001, Auton. Robots.

[16]  Heinz Wörn,et al.  The I-SWARM Project: Intelligent Small World Autonomous Robots for Micro-manipulation , 2004, Swarm Robotics.

[17]  Marco Dorigo,et al.  Swarm intelligence: from natural to artificial systems , 1999 .

[18]  Guy Theraulaz,et al.  Aggregation Behaviour as a Source of Collective Decision in a Group of Cockroach-Like-Robots , 2005, ECAL.

[19]  Chris Melhuish,et al.  An Analysis of Emergent Taxis in a Wireless Connected Swarm of Mobile Robots , 2007, 2007 IEEE Swarm Intelligence Symposium.

[20]  Heinz Wörn,et al.  A Space- and Time-Continuous Model of Self-Organizing Robot Swarms for Design Support , 2007, First International Conference on Self-Adaptive and Self-Organizing Systems (SASO 2007).

[21]  Thomas Schmickl,et al.  Beeclust: A Swarm Algorithm Derived from Honeybees Derivation of the Algorithm, Analysis by Mathematical Models and Implementation on a Robot Swarm , 2011 .

[22]  John N. Warfield,et al.  World dynamics , 1973 .

[23]  Clare Dixon,et al.  On Formal Specification of Emergent Behaviours in Swarm Robotic Systems , 2005 .

[24]  Craig W. Reynolds.  Flocks, herds, and schools: a distributed behavioral model , 1987, SIGGRAPH.

[25]  F. Schweitzer.  Brownian Agents and Active Particles , 2003, Springer Series in Synergetics.

[26]  Amanda J. C. Sharkey,et al.  Swarm robotics and minimalism , 2007, Connect. Sci..

[27]  Alcherio Martinoli,et al.  Swarm intelligence in autonomous collective robotics , 1999 .

[28]  Mauro Birattari,et al.  Swarm Intelligence , 2012, Lecture Notes in Computer Science.

[29]  Luca Maria Gambardella,et al.  The cooperation of swarm-bots: physical interactions in collective robotics , 2005, IEEE Robotics & Automation Magazine.

[30]  William M. Spears,et al.  Swarm Robotics, SAB 2004 International Workshop, Santa Monica, CA, USA, July 17, 2004, Revised Selected Papers , 2005, Swarm Robotics.

[31]  J. Deneubourg,et al.  The self-organizing exploratory pattern of the argentine ant , 1990, Journal of Insect Behavior.

[32]  Gerardo Beni,et al.  From Swarm Intelligence to Swarm Robotics , 2004, Swarm Robotics.