The examination of social insects such as ants has provided valuable insights into the collective intelligence of these organisms. Ted Pavlic, an associate professor of computer science and engineering at Arizona State University, asserts that social insects can serve as an inspirational source for developing innovative solutions using artificial intelligence (AI) technology.
Pavlic’s laboratory, the Science and Engineering of Autonomous Decision-making Systems (SEADS), is dedicated to comprehending how animals, particularly social insects, make decisions when confronted with uncertainty in their surroundings. By unlocking the mysteries of distributed autonomy in ants, bees, and wasps, Pavlic aims to apply this knowledge to enhance the responses of our own autonomous systems in various scenarios.
The objective is to utilize the expanding capabilities of AI to guide decisions and actions in complex and unpredictable circumstances. This entails using AI to design and develop machine learning and automation systems that mimic the decision-making processes of social insects. Through this, Pavlic envisages a future where AI can be utilized to design maximally efficient infrastructure and augment the productivity of automated systems.
Working alongside his colleagues Spring Berman and Jennifer Fewell, Pavlic is actively engaged in projects funded by U.S. Department of Defense agencies to broaden the applications of bio-inspired AI. One such project aims to enhance the performance of autonomous systems in challenging environments, with the ultimate goal of using autonomous systems to support human operators without increasing their cognitive burden.
Berman’s Autonomous Collective Systems (ACS) Laboratory focuses on designing control strategies for large-scale autonomous multi-robot systems. These strategies enable robots to demonstrate collective intelligence and self-organization, which can be utilized in search and rescue operations. By using small aerial robots equipped with social-insect-inspired controllers, the team aims to develop approaches to locate disaster victims and provide them with supplies and medical treatment.
Furthermore, Fewell’s research on seed-harvester ant colonies has inspired bio-inspired AI algorithms and robot controllers developed by Pavlic and Berman. This work has potential applications in extraterrestrial exploration by organizations like NASA and monitoring of specific power grids by the Department of Energy.
The researchers at Arizona State University are optimistic about the potential for bio-inspired AI to lead to new innovations. They believe that the interdisciplinary collaboration between different scientific fields will continue to drive the development of groundbreaking solutions.
In conclusion, the fusion of biomimicry and artificial intelligence presents a promising avenue for solving complex real-world problems. By studying the collective cognition of social insects and integrating these principles into advanced technology, researchers are paving the way for a future where AI systems can emulate the efficiency and resilience of natural systems.
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