Self-synchronized duty-cycling for mobile sensor networks with energy harvesting capabilities: A swarm intelligence study

When asked if ants rest or if they work untiringly all day long, most people would probably respond that they had no idea. In fact, when watching the bustling life of an ant hill it is hard to imagine that ants take a rest from now and then. However, biologists discovered that ants rest quite a large fraction of their time. Surprisingly, not only single ants show alternate phases of resting and being active, but whole ant colonies exhibit synchronized activity phases that result from self-organization. Inspired by this self-synchronization behaviour of ant colonies, we develop a mechanism for self-synchronized duty-cycling in mobile sensor networks. In addition, we equip sensor nodes with energy harvesting capabilities such as, for example, solar cells. We show that the self-synchronization mechanism can be made adaptive depending on the available energy.Postprint (published version

A mathematical model of foraging in a dynamic environment by trail-laying Argentine ants

Ants live in dynamically changing environments, where food sources become depleted and alternative sources appear. Yet most mathematical models of ant foraging assume that the ants' foraging environment is static. Here we describe a mathematical model of ant foraging in a dynamic environment. Our model attempts to explain recent empirical data on dynamic foraging in the Argentine ant Linepithema humile (Mayr). The ants are able to find the shortest path in a Towers of Hanoi maze, a complex network containing 32,768 alternative paths, even when the maze is altered dynamically. We modify existing models developed to explain ant foraging in static environments, to elucidate what possible mechanisms allow the ants to quickly adapt to changes in their foraging environment. Our results suggest that navigation of individual ants based on a combination of one pheromone deposited during foraging and directional information enables the ants to adapt their foraging trails and recreates the experimental results.14 page(s

Enumeration of large combinatorial structures

SIGLELD:0678.231F(AD-A--102-981)(microfiche). / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo

Self-synchronized duty-cycling for mobile sensor networks with energy harvesting capabilities: A swarm intelligence study

When asked if ants rest or if they work untiringly all day long, most people would probably respond that they had no idea. In fact, when watching the bustling life of an ant hill it is hard to imagine that ants take a rest from now and then. However, biologists discovered that ants rest quite a large fraction of their time. Surprisingly, not only single ants show alternate phases of resting and being active, but whole ant colonies exhibit synchronized activity phases that result from self-organization. Inspired by this self-synchronization behaviour of ant colonies, we develop a mechanism for self-synchronized duty-cycling in mobile sensor networks. In addition, we equip sensor nodes with energy harvesting capabilities such as, for example, solar cells. We show that the self-synchronization mechanism can be made adaptive depending on the available energy