Evolution of signalling in a group of robots controlled by dynamic neural networks

Abstract

Communication is a point of central importance in swarms of robots. This paper describes a set of simulations in which artificial evolution is used as a means to engineer robot neuro-controllers capable of guiding groups of robots in a categorisation task by producing appropriate actions. Communicative behaviour emerges, notwithstanding the absence of explicit selective pressure (coded into the fitness function) to favour signalling over non-signalling groups. Post-evaluation analyses illustrate the adaptive function of the evolved signals and show that they are tightly linked to the behavioural repertoire of the agents. Finally, our approach for developing controllers is validated by successfully porting one evolved controller on real robots. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2007.