Go Dutch: Exploit Interactions and Environments with Artificial Immune Systems

Abstract

The natural immune system is composed of a diverse array of cells and proteins which cooperate to attack infections in the body. These cells interact in space and over time in two principal ways: through direct physical contact, and via intermediate signaling molecules. The network of these interactions is extremely complex and difficult to analyze. However, an attempt to understand how this network is organized is critical to further development of artificial immune systems (AIS). This chapter attempts to characterize some of the major interaction mechanisms found in the immune system from a computational perspective. We also explore how AIS might exploit the properties of such interactions in practical applications.

It is not intended or claimed that this chapter will be a complete or comprehensive discussion of immune system signals and interactions; for more detail the immunology literature should be addressed. It is intended that this chapter provides a reasonable summary of some of the major and widely accepted interaction mechanisms found in the immune system, as well as some insightful examination of their properties and potential uses in AIS. The final section of the chapter points out some artificial mechanisms and characteristics of applications that might benefit from particular aspects of the interactions identified.