Swarm Intelligence : Introduction and Applications

Swarm intelligence is a modern arti?cial intelligence discipline that is c- cerned with the design of multiagent systems with applications, e.g., in - timization and in robotics. The design paradigm for these systems is fun- mentally di?erent from more traditional approaches. Instead of a sophisticated controller that governs the global behavior of the system, the swarm intelligence principle is based on many unsophisticated entities that cooperate in order to exhibit a desired behavior. Inspiration for the design of these systems is taken from the collective behavior of social insects such as ants, termites, bees, and wasps, as well as from the behavior of otheranimalsocietiessuchas?ocksofbirdsorschoolsof?sh.Coloniesofsocial insects have mesmerized researchers for many years. However, the principles that govern their behavior remained unknown for a long time. Even though the single members of these societies are unsophisticated individuals, they are able to achieve complex tasks in cooperation. Coordinated behavior emerges from relatively simple actions or interactions between the individuals.

The laws that govern the collective behavior of social insects, flocks of birds, or fish schools continue to mesmerize researchers. While individuals are rather unsophisticated, in cooperation they can solve complex tasks, a prime example being the ability of ant colonies to find shortest paths between their nests and food sources. Task-solving results from self-organization, which often evolves from simple means of communication, either directly or indirectly via changing the environment, the latter referred to as stigmergy. Scientists have applied these principles in new approaches, for example to optimization and the control of robots. Characteristics of the resulting systems include robustness and flexibility. This field of research is now referred to as swarm intelligence.

The contributing authors are among the top researchers in their domain. The book is intended to provide an overview of swarm intelligence to novices, and to offer researchers in the field an update on interesting recent developments. Introductory chapters deal with the biological foundations, optimization, swarm robotics, and applications in new-generation telecommunication networks, while the second part contains chapters on more specific topics of swarm intelligence research such as the evolution of robot behavior, the use of particle swarms for dynamic optimization, and organic computing.