Animal Models for Computing and Communications: Past Approaches and Future Challenges

Contents 1.1 General Principles of Animal Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 1.2 Current Bio-Inspired Modeling Approaches . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

1.2.1 Insect Models for Communication and Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 1.2.2 Noninsect, Bio-Inspired Models for Communication

and Robotics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 1.3 Challenges for Future Bio-Inspired Models . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 1.4 Primates and Other Socially Complex Mammals as Biological Models . . . . 11

1.4.1 Challenge: Modeling Small vs. Large Groups and Group Heterogeneity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

1.4.2 Challenge: Incorporating Individual Differences or “Personality” . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

1.4.3 Challenge: Robustness to Damage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 1.4.4 Challenge: Avoiding Eavesdropping . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

1.5 Conclusions . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Acknowledgments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 References . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Any model of communications that displays evolution (a selection process that acts on variation) is biologically inspired. However, here we consider models that are based explicitly on the social systems of specific animal species. Most current models focus on social insects, which display emergent behavioral properties of individuals that do not require centralized command. We discuss these previous models and present some ideas for models based on more complex social systems.