Transcript Document

MAT 259 Visualizing Information
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Self-Organization
Lecture 4, January 31, 2006
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
1
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Self- Organization
 Various mechanisms by which pattern,
structure and order emerge spontaneously
in complex systems
 Originally from physics (thermodynamics),
chemistry (molecular self-assembly:
particles organize)
 Insect world: complex collective behavior
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
2
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Examples of Self-Organization
 Pattern of sand ripples in a dune, zebra
stripes. the coordinated movements of
flocks of birds or schools of fish
 The intricate nests of termites, wasps, ants
 Flocking behavior of fish, birds
 The spatial pattern of stars in a spiral galaxy
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
3
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Systems
 Open systems: the flow of matter and
energy through the system allows the
system to self-organize, and to exchange
entropy with the environment
 Autopoiesis (self-created, non-equilibrium
structures) organized states that remain
stable despite matter and energy
continuously flowing through them
 Morphogenesis: how living organisms
develop (tissues, organs, etc.)
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
4
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Cellular Automata
 Invented by Stanislaw Ulam and John
von Neumann in the 1940’s to investigate
self-replication in machines
 Within a cellular grid, each cell responds
to neighbors based on a set of rules
 Mathematician Wolfram used it as the
basis of his book: “New Kind of Science:
“Simple programs that lead to complex
results”
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
 Rule based behavior can easily be
presented in a visual way
Winter 2006
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MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Swarm Intelligence
 “The emergent collective intelligence of
groups of simple agents” (Bonabeau)
 Behavior of bees, ants, reflect problemsolving approach
 Social insect colony: a decentralized
problem-solving system
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
6
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Swarm Intelligence Systems
 Starting point for new metaphors in
engineering and computer science (robotics)
 Help design artificial distributed problemsolving methods and devices
 Potential models for organizing data /
information
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
7
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
SO Organization Methods
 Bottom up tinkering approach rather then top down
 The behavior of the group is often unpredictable,
emerging from the collective interactions of all of the
individuals.
 Relies on amplification of fluctuations (random walks,
errors) which function as seeds from structures to
develop
 Simple rules by which individuals interact can
generate complexity
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
 Structures emerge despite randomness (foraging,
nest building, etc.) System converges to stable state
Winter 2006
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MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Stigmergy
 A term to explain task coordination and
regulation
 SO rely on multiple interactions (mutually
tolerant individuals respond to each other’s
actions)
 Individuals interact indirectly when one
modifies the environment, and the other
responds to the new environment
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
9
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
Relevance to Data Visualization
 Provides models of organization
 Transfer knowledge from study of nature
 Methods of organization (local to global)
 Relevant for non-linear systems (where
multiple players/data sources affect
situation)
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
10
MAT 259 Visualizing Information
References
Self-Organization in Biological Systems, Camazine.
Deneubourg, Franks, Sneyd, Theraulaz, Benabeau
Hidden Order, John Holland
Swarm Intelligence, Bonabeau, Dorigo, Theraulaz
Swarm Intelligence, Kennedy, Eberhart
New Kinds of Science, Wolfram
Media Arts and Technology
Graduate Program
UC Santa Barbara
George Legrady
Winter 2006
11