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Swarm Intelligence

  • Reference work entry
Computational Complexity

Article Outline

Glossary

Definition of the Subject

Introduction

Biological Systems

Robotic Systems

Artificial Life Systems

Definition of Swarm

Standard-Mathematics Methods

Swarm Optimization

Non-Linear Differential Equations Methods

Limitations of Standard-Mathematics Methods

Cellular-Computing Methods

Randomness in Swarm Intelligence

Asynchronous Swarms

The Realization of Asynchronous Swarms

Characteristics of Swarm Intelligence

Swarms of Intelligent Units

Future Directions

Bibliography

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Abbreviations

Swarm Intelligence:

(Definition 1, Sect. “Definition of the Subject”). The intuitive notion of “Swarm Intelligence” is that of a “swarm” of agents (biological or artificial) which, without central control, collectively (and only collectively) carry out (unknowingly, and in a somewhat‐random way) tasks normally requiring some form of “intelligence”. (Definition 5, Sect. “Swarms of Intelligent Units”). The capability of universal computation carried out with natural asynchrony by a dynamic cellular computing system, none of whose cells can predict the computation done by the swarm.

Swarm Robotics :

The technology of robotic systems capable of Swarm Intelligence.

Stigmergy :

Indirect communication through modification of the environment.

Pheromone :

A chemical that triggers an innate behavioral response in another member of the same animal species

Elementary Swarm:

An ordered set of N units described by the N components v i (\( { i=1,2,\dots,N } \)) of a vector v; any unit i may update the vector, at any time t i , using a function f of K i vector components.

$$ \forall i \in N\colon v_{i}(t+1) = f (\mathbf{v}_{k\in K(i)} (t)) $$
Cellular automaton :

A system, evolving in discrete time steps, with four properties: a grid of cells, a set of possible states of the cells, a neighborhood, and a function which assigns a new state to a cell given the state of the cell and of its neighborhood.

von Neumann architecture:

Computer design that uses one processing unit and one storage unit holding both instructions and data.

Cellular‐computing architecture:

Computer design that uses cellular automata , and related machines, as processors and as storage of instruction and data.

Intelligence :

(working definition for Swarm Intelligence) Ability to carry out universal computation.

Natural asynchrony :

Asynchronous updating characterized by three properties: more than one unit may update at each time step; any unit may update more than once in each updating cycle; and the updating order varies randomly for every updating cycle.

Optimization algorithms:

Algorithms to satisfy a set of constraints and/or optimize (e. g., minimize) a function by systematically choosing the values of the variables from an allowed set.

Swarm optimization :

Ant colony optimization, Particle swarm optimization, and related probabilistic optimization algorithms.

Ant colony optimization :

Probabilistic optimization algorithm where a colony of artificial ants cooperate in finding solutions to optimization problems.

Particle swarm optimization :

Probabilistic optimization algorithm where a swarm of potential solutions (particles) cooperate in finding solutions to discrete optimization problems.

Game of Life :

A cellular automaton designed to simulate life-like phenomena.

Dynamic cellular computing system:

Cellular computing system whose cells are mobile.

Unpredictable system:

A system such that complete knowledge of its state and operation at any given time is insufficient to compute the system's future state before the system reaches it.

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Books and Reviews

  1. References [3, 4, 6, 10, 13, 14, 15, 48, 51] are the main books and reviews. The journal Swarm Intelligence [9] is the main source for new research results. The following provide additional general material related to Swarm Intelligence.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California Riverside, Riverside, USA

    Gerardo Beni

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  1. Gerardo Beni
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. RAMTECH LIMITED, 122 Escalle Lane, Larkspur, CA, 94939, USA

    Robert A. Meyers Ph. D. (Editor-in-Chief) (Editor-in-Chief)

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Beni, G. (2012). Swarm Intelligence. In: Meyers, R. (eds) Computational Complexity. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-1800-9_195

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