Artificial AntsBook report on

Turtles, Termites, and Traffic Jams: Explorations in Massively Parallel Microworlds (Complex Adaptive

Systems), Ch 3 - Mitchel Resnick 1997. by: Pheleah C. Reyes

Myrmecology

The study of antsArtificial Life

“ALife” CommunityAnt Farms Interest in ants“A Bug’s Life”

“Ants”Why the interest?

Why relate this to our class?

Ant Colonies: A prototypical example of how complex-

group behavior can arise from simple-individual behavior.

Ant/Colony Relationship:Interesting way or model for thinking about other group/individual relationships.Learn how computer programs such as StarLogo can be used to stimulate multi-agent reaction.

Ant Workers

Can be seen easily

Can manipulate insect societies

Artificial ants are easy to control and and observe

How ants collect and find food

IndividuallyExperienceRecruitment

StrategiesDirect CommunicationIndirect Communication

The Four “Demons”

In the StarLogo Program, each ant’s actions are controlled by the following

forces or demons:1. Tells the ant how to look for food2. Tells the ant what to do when it finally

bumps into the food3. Tells the ant how to return to the nest4. Tells the ant what to do when it gets

back to the nest

When the Program Runs

100 ants run or stream from the nest

green pheromone trail

ants attack the source that is closer to the nest

systematic plan low-level parallel

interactions

Causes of Planlike Behavior

A needed critical density of ants

The critical density depends on the distance of the food source

more ants are needed to counterbalance the forces of diffusion and evaporation

Food Sources

Seen as competitors that try to attract a stable trail of ants

Ants are attracted by the closest food source

A colony of a stable trail

The Decision Between 2 Food Sources?

StarLogo Program

http://www.media.mit.edu/macstarlogo/projects/ants.html