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Adaptive Task Allocation Inspired by a Model of Division of Labor in Social Insects

Author

Listed:
  • Eric Bonabeau
  • Andrej Sobkowski
  • Guy Theraulaz
  • Jean-Louis Deneubourg

Abstract

Social insects provide us with a powerful metaphor to create decentralized systems of simple interacting, and often mobile, agents. The emergent collective intelligence of social insects---swarm intelligence---resides not in complex individual abilities but rather in networks of interactions that exist among individuals and between individuals and their environment. In particular, a recently proposed model of division of labor in a colony of primitively eusocial wasps, based on a simple reinforcement of response thresholds, can be transformed into a decentralized adaptive algorithm of task allocation. An application of such an algorithm is proposed in the context of a mail company, but virtually any type of flexible task allocation can be described within the same framework.

Suggested Citation

  • Eric Bonabeau & Andrej Sobkowski & Guy Theraulaz & Jean-Louis Deneubourg, 1998. "Adaptive Task Allocation Inspired by a Model of Division of Labor in Social Insects," Working Papers 98-01-004, Santa Fe Institute.
  • Handle: RePEc:wop:safiwp:98-01-004
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Eric Bonabeau & Guy Theraulza & Jean-Louis Deneubourg & Serge Aron & Scott Camazine, 1997. "Self-Organization in Social Insects," Working Papers 97-04-032, Santa Fe Institute.
    2. Bell,David E. & Raiffa,Howard & Tversky,Amos (ed.), 1989. "Decision Making," Cambridge Books, Cambridge University Press, number 9780521368513, January.
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