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Main Authors: Hartl, Benedikt, Levin, Michael, Zöttl, Andreas
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.09438
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author Hartl, Benedikt
Levin, Michael
Zöttl, Andreas
author_facet Hartl, Benedikt
Levin, Michael
Zöttl, Andreas
contents Many microorganisms swim by performing larger non-reciprocal shape deformations that are initiated locally by molecular motors. However, it remains unclear how decentralized shape control determines the movement of the entire organism. Here, we investigate how efficient locomotion emerges from coordinated yet simple and decentralized decision-making of the body parts using neuroevolution techniques. Our approach allows us to investigate optimal locomotion policies for increasingly large microswimmer bodies, with emerging long-wavelength body shape deformations corresponding to surprisingly efficient swimming gaits. The obtained decentralized policies are robust and tolerant concerning morphological changes or defects and can be applied to artificial microswimmers for cargo transport or drug delivery applications without further optimization "out of the box". Our work is of relevance to understanding and developing robust navigation strategies of biological and artificial microswimmers and, in a broader context, for understanding emergent levels of individuality and the role of collective intelligence in Artificial Life.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2407_09438
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Neuroevolution of Decentralized Decision-Making in N-Bead Swimmers Leads to Scalable and Robust Collective Locomotion
Hartl, Benedikt
Levin, Michael
Zöttl, Andreas
Biological Physics
Soft Condensed Matter
Adaptation and Self-Organizing Systems
Computational Physics
Fluid Dynamics
Many microorganisms swim by performing larger non-reciprocal shape deformations that are initiated locally by molecular motors. However, it remains unclear how decentralized shape control determines the movement of the entire organism. Here, we investigate how efficient locomotion emerges from coordinated yet simple and decentralized decision-making of the body parts using neuroevolution techniques. Our approach allows us to investigate optimal locomotion policies for increasingly large microswimmer bodies, with emerging long-wavelength body shape deformations corresponding to surprisingly efficient swimming gaits. The obtained decentralized policies are robust and tolerant concerning morphological changes or defects and can be applied to artificial microswimmers for cargo transport or drug delivery applications without further optimization "out of the box". Our work is of relevance to understanding and developing robust navigation strategies of biological and artificial microswimmers and, in a broader context, for understanding emergent levels of individuality and the role of collective intelligence in Artificial Life.
title Neuroevolution of Decentralized Decision-Making in N-Bead Swimmers Leads to Scalable and Robust Collective Locomotion
topic Biological Physics
Soft Condensed Matter
Adaptation and Self-Organizing Systems
Computational Physics
Fluid Dynamics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2407.09438