Ant-inspired rules for self-assembly in swarm robotics and complex systems

这个项目旨在研究蚂蚁如何利用自我组装来建造桥梁和链条，在个体层面上使用简单的规则连接它们的身体，在群体层面上建立复杂的结构。这两个组织层面之间长期存在的概念鸿沟将通过创新的动物行为实验、计算机建模和机器人群体中的具体理论测试来解决。该项目的预期成果包括用于理解复杂系统中的自组装的新模型和用于机器人群的新控制算法。该项目应该提供显著的好处，例如编程，使机器人群能够自主地自组装有用的结构，以增强它们的操作能力。

This project aims to investigate how ants use self-assembly to build bridges and chains, joining their bodies using simple rules at the individual-level to build complex structures at the group-level. The long-standing conceptual gap between these two organisational levels will be addressed using innovative animal behaviour experiments, computer modelling and embodied testing of theory in a robot swarm. The expected outcomes of the project include new models for understanding self-assembly in complex systems and new control algorithms for robot swarms. The project should provide significant benefits such as programming to allow robot swarms to autonomously self-assemble useful structures that enhance their operational capabilities.