Emergent Behavior Development and Control in Multi-Agent Systems

Emergence in natural systems is the development of complex behaviors that result from the aggregation of simple agent-to-agent and agent-to-environment interactions. Emergence research intersects with many disciplines such as physics, biology, and ecology and provides a theoretical framework for investigating how order appears to spontaneously arise in complex adaptive systems. In biological systems, emergent behaviors allow simple agents to collectively accomplish multiple tasks in highly dynamic environments; ensuring system survival. These systems all display similar properties: self-organized hierarchies, robustness, adaptability, and decentralized task execution. However, current algorithmic approaches merely present theoretical models without showing how these models actually create hierarchical, emergent systems. To fill this research gap, this dissertation presents an algorithm based on entropy and speciation - defined as morphological or physiological differences in a population - that results in hierarchical emergent phenomena in multi-agent systems. Results show that speciation creates system hierarchies composed of goal-aligned entities, i.e. niches. As niche actions aggregate into more complex behaviors, more levels emerge within the system hierarchy, eventually resulting in a system that can meet multiple tasks and is robust to environmental changes. Speciation provides a powerful tool for creating goal-aligned, decentralized systems that are inherently robust and adaptable, meeting the scalability demands of current, multi-agent system design. Results in base defense, k-n assignment, division of labor and resource competition experiments, show that speciated populations create hierarchical self-organized systems, meet multiple tasks and are more robust to environmental change than non-speciated populations

Coordinating Team Tactics for Swarm-vs.-Swarm Adversarial Games

While swarms of UAVs have received much attention in the last few years, adversarial swarms (i.e., competitive, swarm-vs.-swarm games) have been less well studied. In this dissertation, I investigate the factors influential in team-vs.-team UAV aerial combat scenarios, elucidating the impacts of force concentration and opponent spread in the engagement space. Specifically, this dissertation makes the following contributions: (1) Tactical Analysis: Identifies conditions under which either explicitly-coordinating tactics or decentralized, greedy tactics are superior in engagements as small as 2-vs.-2 and as large as 10-vs.-10, and examines how these patterns change with the quality of the teams' weapons; (2) Coordinating Tactics: Introduces and demonstrates a deep-reinforcement-learning framework that equips agents to learn to use their own and their teammates' situational context to decide which pre-scripted tactics to employ in what situations, and which teammates, if any, to coordinate with throughout the engagement; the efficacy of agents using the neural network trained within this framework outperform baseline tactics in engagements against teams of agents employing baseline tactics in N-vs.-N engagements for N as small as two and as large as 64; and (3) Bio-Inspired Coordination: Discovers through Monte-Carlo agent-based simulations the importance of prioritizing the team's force concentration against the most threatening opponent agents, but also of preserving some resources by deploying a smaller defense force and defending against lower-penalty threats in addition to high-priority threats to maximize the remaining fuel within the defending team's fuel reservoir.Ph.D

Cyber-Human Systems, Space Technologies, and Threats

CYBER-HUMAN SYSTEMS, SPACE TECHNOLOGIES, AND THREATS is our eighth textbook in a series covering the world of UASs / CUAS/ UUVs / SPACE. Other textbooks in our series are Space Systems Emerging Technologies and Operations; Drone Delivery of CBNRECy – DEW Weapons: Emerging Threats of Mini-Weapons of Mass Destruction and Disruption (WMDD); Disruptive Technologies with applications in Airline, Marine, Defense Industries; Unmanned Vehicle Systems & Operations On Air, Sea, Land; Counter Unmanned Aircraft Systems Technologies and Operations; Unmanned Aircraft Systems in the Cyber Domain: Protecting USA’s Advanced Air Assets, 2nd edition; and Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) in the Cyber Domain Protecting USA’s Advanced Air Assets, 1st edition. Our previous seven titles have received considerable global recognition in the field. (Nichols & Carter, 2022) (Nichols, et al., 2021) (Nichols R. K., et al., 2020) (Nichols R. , et al., 2020) (Nichols R. , et al., 2019) (Nichols R. K., 2018) (Nichols R. K., et al., 2022)https://newprairiepress.org/ebooks/1052/thumbnail.jp

Whimsical Bodies: Agency and Playfulness in Robotic Art

This thesis examines issues related to agency, playfulness, and behavioral design in robotic art. Using the term ‘whimsical bodies’ (inspired by artist Steve Daniels’, Whimsy, 2008) as an evocative metaphor for the playful ecology and creations of robotic art, I take up historical and contemporary case studies as entry points to a multi-faceted discussion of human-machine engagements considering the lenses of philosophical, art historical and curatorial methodological research. Robotic art’s whimsical bodies are also explored through references to new media scholarship, object-oriented-philosophy, metaphysics and speculative theory. In assessing characteristic features of the art form, such as its playfulness, use of humor, and critique/reconfiguration of wonder as a mode of critical engagement, this thesis aims to move robotic art from the periphery to the center of new media art as a lively and unique field of research

Making a name for Anonymous. Digital culture , anonymous publics and transgressie subjectivities

Recently, researchers from various domains of social sciences have been particularly concerned with the social, cultural, and political impacts of digital media. To give an account of the specific processes behind the formation of Anonymous, I develop a microsociological framework for the analysis of disembodied global forms – anchoring such forms in intersubjective reciprocity. In order to move beyond interpretative sociology’s emphasis on language as society’s integrative function, I privileged the dimensions of temporality, rhythms and patterns. I also focused on how “disembodied” internet collectives are enacted and assembled within computer screens, terminals, and the digital networks that connect them. My analysis takes into account those temporalities, projections and reflections, which point to the non-symbolic components of mediated sociality. Those dynamic interconnections behind the Anonymous collective are approached through the notions of publics, networks or even swarms.Recientemente, investigadores de diversos campos de las ciencias sociales se han enfocado en los impactos sociales, culturales y políticos de los medios digitales. Para dar cuenta de los procesos específicos detrás de la formación de Anonymous, yo desarrollo un marco microsociológico para el análisis de formas globales “desencarnadas” de sociabilidad, anclando estas formas en la reciprocidad intersubjetiva mediada. Para ir más allá del énfasis en el lenguaje como función integrativa de la sociedad de la sociología interpretativa, privilegié las dimensiones de la temporalidad, los ritmos y los patrones en mi análisis. También me enfoqué a ver cómo los colectivos de Internet "desencarnados" se construyen en pantallas de computadora, terminales y las redes digitales que los conectan. Mi análisis tiene en cuenta esas temporalidades, proyecciones y reflexiones, que apuntan a los componentes no simbólicos de la socialidad mediada. Esas interconexiones dinámicas detrás del colectivo Anónimo se acercan a través de las nociones de públicos, redes y enjambres.Recentment, investigadors de diversos camps de les ciències socials s'han enfocat en els impactes socials, culturals i polítics dels mitjans digitals. Per donar compte dels processos específics darrere de la formació d'Anonymous, jo desenvolupament un marc miocrosociològic per a l'anàlisi de formes globals "desencarnades" de sociabilitat, ancorant aquestes formes en la reciprocitat intersubjectiva intervinguda. Per anar més enllà de l'èmfasi en el llenguatge com a funció integrativa de la societat de la sociologia interpretativa, privilegiï les dimensions de la temporalitat, els ritmes i els patrons en la meva anàlisi. També vaig focalitzar a veure com els col·lectius d'Internet "desencarnats" es construeixen en pantalles d'ordinador, terminals i les xarxes digitals que els connecten. La meva anàlisi té en compte aquestes temporalitats, projeccions i reflexions, que apunten als components no simbòlics de la socialitat intervinguda. Aquestes interconnexions dinàmiques darrere del col·lectiu Anònim s'acosten a través de les nocions de públics, xarxes i eixams

Examining Dehumanization Through the "Political Brain Perspective": Towards a Minimal Neuropolitical Theory for Hyperdiverse Societies

What cognitive conditions need to be in place in order for cooperation, and potentially, solidarity, to exist in hyperdiverse societies? What aspects of our social human brain are indispensible when it comes to achieving shared goals in divided liberal democracies? This dissertation singles out the dehumanized perception and categorization of out-groups as one of the most decisive disruptors of political cooperation. I develop an interdisciplinary model – the “Political Brain Perspective” (PBP) – that combines political theory, political science and social neuroscience insights to advance my argument about dehumanization in both domestic and International political contexts. I argue that dehumanized perception at the brain level is politically troublesome because it disables an important social brain function called mentalizing, which is foundational for both basic political transactions and more complex feelings such as empathy. I show how this is relevant in regard to the neuropolitical duties public representatives owe to their constituents in a diverse liberal democracy, and further, how various liberal traditions such as social contract, multiculturalism and human rights theories have hitherto ignored dehumanization as a fundamental disruptor to any political cooperative process. At the international level, I examine the potential for dehumanization within civilizational discourses in history, with a particular focus on the post-Cold War distinction between “civilized” and “barbarians”. I show that in the international context of genocide, intergroup conflict and identity politics, dehumanizing categories not only diminish the cognitive reasoning and mentalizing abilities of the dehumanizer, but also have an intense impact on the dehumanized, in the form of reciprocal dehumanization and retributive violence. Based on the epistemological premises of the PBP, I contend that a minimal neuropolitical theory of cooperation ought not to prioritize an ontological concept of human dignity but instead treat the ascription of humanness as an interpersonal brain mechanism. The brain data, in other words, can only tell us what our brains do when engaging in politics, not who we are as political beings in an essentialist way. In sum, this dissertation highlights the need for political scientists to pay attention to the neuronal mechanisms underlying dehumanization, and to distinguish it from other forms of exclusion and prejudice as a fundamental brain ability in its own right

Evolution of fuzzy animats in a competitive environment

Collective behaviour is a fascinating field that studies coordinated motion of large groups of similar entities. Probably the most common hypothesis about the origins of collective animal behaviour suggests that it might function as a defensive mechanism against predation. In this thesis we used various computational techniques to study this hypothesis. We started by expanding an existing fuzzy model for the computer simulation of bird flocking with predators and visual perception. We implemented three target selection tactics that take into account the visual perspective of the predator (attack the nearest visible individual, attack the most visually isolated individual, and attack the centre of the visible group). Our results suggest that for prey individuals social behaviour (governed by the separation, alignment and cohesion drives) as opposed to individualistic (governed exclusively by the separation drive) is the most beneficial (predators take longer to capture their target). Predators, on the other hand, capture social prey individuals quicker when they attack the most visually isolated individual, but capture individualistic prey faster if they focus on the nearest prey individual. In the next stage we developed an evolutionary model for tuning hand-crafted composite predator attack/target selection tactics. For reasons of computational simplicity we here expanded on a known mathematical model of prey collective behaviour. This allowed us to concentrate on predator target selection tactics. We investigated the evolution of the optimal tactic with respect to prey behaving collectively and prey that performed a delayed response. With the latter prey individuals instead of responding immediately at the first sight of the predator delay the response to a later point in time and then try to outsmart the predator by performing rapid twists and turns. This might be an advantageous defensive manoeuvre because prey can remain in a compact group for as long as possible and because prey individuals are usually smaller than predators and as such have a higher turn rate. Our results suggest that a composite tactic termed dispersing tactic, where the predator first dives deep into the group of prey and then targets the most peripheral individual, is the best tactic. Experiments with prey's delayed response suggest that prey individuals can indeed increase their survivability by using this defensive manoeuvre and the dispersing tactics seems to be the only tactic capable of at least partially diminishing the effectiveness of the preys' delayed response. This was a clear indication of potential interplay between target selection tactics and prey behaviour. Armed with this knowledge, we developed an artificial life-like open-ended evolutionary model, where the behaviour of prey and predator individuals is governed by fuzzy logic. In this model we focused on the evolution of prey behaviour when prey individuals face different predation tactics. We demonstrated that in this model prey individuals evolve different types of collective behaviour (swarm, milling, polarized, dynamic). Interestingly, the analysis of the evolved rule bases showed a statistically significant difference between different types of behaviour in the proportion of rules that take into account predator related information. This suggested that the predation pressures the prey are subject to during evolution might have an influence on the behaviour that evolves. Our last step of research was thus a controlled experiment where prey evolve under various predation tactics. Here we let prey evolve under four predation tactics, two of which according to previous research pressure prey to evolve dispersing and two pressure prey to evolve grouping. Our results suggest that antagonism in predation pressures, where prey are exposed to predation pressures for which the best response is both grouping and dispersing simultaneously, might be necessary for prey to evolve polarized movement

Robotics, AI, and Humanity

This open access book examines recent advances in how artificial intelligence (AI) and robotics have elicited widespread debate over their benefits and drawbacks for humanity. The emergent technologies have for instance implications within medicine and health care, employment, transport, manufacturing, agriculture, and armed conflict. While there has been considerable attention devoted to robotics/AI applications in each of these domains, a fuller picture of their connections and the possible consequences for our shared humanity seems needed. This volume covers multidisciplinary research, examines current research frontiers in AI/robotics and likely impacts on societal well-being, human – robot relationships, as well as the opportunities and risks for sustainable development and peace. The attendant ethical and religious dimensions of these technologies are addressed and implications for regulatory policies on the use and future development of AI/robotics technologies are elaborated

Using MapReduce Streaming for Distributed Life Simulation on the Cloud

Distributed software simulations are indispensable in the study of large-scale life models but often require the use of technically complex lower-level distributed computing frameworks, such as MPI. We propose to overcome the complexity challenge by applying the emerging MapReduce (MR) model to distributed life simulations and by running such simulations on the cloud. Technically, we design optimized MR streaming algorithms for discrete and continuous versions of Conway’s life according to a general MR streaming pattern. We chose life because it is simple enough as a testbed for MR’s applicability to a-life simulations and general enough to make our results applicable to various lattice-based a-life models. We implement and empirically evaluate our algorithms’ performance on Amazon’s Elastic MR cloud. Our experiments demonstrate that a single MR optimization technique called strip partitioning can reduce the execution time of continuous life simulations by 64%. To the best of our knowledge, we are the first to propose and evaluate MR streaming algorithms for lattice-based simulations. Our algorithms can serve as prototypes in the development of novel MR simulation algorithms for large-scale lattice-based a-life models.https://digitalcommons.chapman.edu/scs_books/1014/thumbnail.jp