Today, in the field of architecture, bio-inspired algorithms can be used to design and seek solutions to design problems. Two of the most popular algorithms are the genetic algorithm (GA) and swarm intelligence algorithm. However, no study has examined the simultaneous use of these two bio-inspired algorithms in the field of architecture. Therefore, this study aims to test whether these two bio-inspired algorithms can work together. To this end, GA is used in this study to optimize the rule-based swarm algorithm for the conceptual design process. In this optimization test, the objective was to increase the surface area, and the constraints are parcel boundary and building height. Further, the forms associated with swarm agents were determined as variables. Following the case studies, the study concludes that the two bio-inspired algorithms can effectively work together.

This work addresses a new framework that proposes a decentralized strategy for collective and collaborative behaviours of multi-agent systems. This framework includes a new clustering behaviour that causes agents in the swarm to agree on attending a group and allocating a leader for each group, in a decentralized and local manner. The leader of each group employs a vision-based goal detection algorithm to find and acquire the goal in a cluttered environment. As soon as the leader starts moving, each member is enabled to move in the same direction by staying coordinated with the leader and maintaining the desired formation pattern. In addition, an exploration algorithm is designed and integrated into the framework so as to allow each group to be able to explore goals in a collaborative and efficient manner. A series of comprehensive experiments are conducted in order to verify the overall performance of the proposed framework.

Swarm Intelligence (SI) constitutes a rapidly growing area of research. At the same time trajectory planning in a dynamic environment still constitutes a very challenging research problem. This paper presents a new approach to path planning in dynamic environments based on Ant Colony Optimisation (ACO). Assumptions, a concise description of the method developed and results of real navigational situations (case studies with comments) are included. The developed solution can be applied in decision support systems on board a ship or in an intelligent Obstacle Detection and Avoidance system, which constitutes a component of Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) Navigation, Guidance and Control systems.

A novel swarm intelligence approach for combinatorial optimization is proposed, which we call probability increment based swarm optimization (PIBSO). The population evolution mechanism of PIBSO is depicted. Each state in search space has a probability to be chosen. The rule of increasing the probabilities of states is established. Incremental factor is proposed to update probability of a state, and its value is determined by the fitness of the state. It lets the states with better fitness have higher probabilities. Usual roulette wheel selection is employed to select states. Population evolution is impelled by roulette wheel selection and state probability updating. The most distinctive feature of PIBSO is because roulette wheel selection and probability updating produce a trade-off between global and local search; when PIBSO is applied to solve the printed circuit board assembly optimization problem (PCBAOP), it performs superiorly over existing genetic algorithm and adaptive particle swarm optimization on length of tour and CPU running time, respectively. The reason for having such advantages is analyzed in detail. The success of PCBAOP application verifies the effectiveness and efficiency of PIBSO and shows that it is a good method for combinatorial optimization in engineering.

Two distributed stochastic search algorithms are proposed for motion planning of multi-robot systems: (i) distributed gradient, (ii) swarm intelligence theory. Distributed gradient consists of multiple stochastic search algorithms that start from different points in the solutions space and interact with each other while moving toward the goal position. Swarm intelligence theory is a derivative-free approach to the problem of multi-robot cooperation which works by searching iteratively in regions defined by each robot's best previous move and the best previous move of its neighbors. The performance of both approaches is evaluated through simulation tests.

A mathematic model is established to describe a swarm with multi-behavior. Regarding a swarm designed for cooperative task, we propose a model which includes a macroscopic model and a individual-based model. The macroscopic framework model describes global dynamics of swarms, which is normally expressed by dynamical populations' densities with different behaviors, while the individual-based framework model describes a individual agent's trajectory. Based on these models, we prove that all objects can be collected to the “home” area under conditions of individual agents subject to sensor constraints.

This paper presents an investigation of odor localization by groups of autonomous mobile robots using principles of Swarm Intelligence. First, we describe a distributed algorithm by which groups of agents can solve the full odor localization task more efficiently than a single agent. Next, we demonstrate that a group of real robots under fully distributed control can successfully traverse a real odor plume, and that an embodied simulator can faithfully reproduce these real robots experiments. Finally, we use the embodied simulator combined with a reinforcement learning algorithm to optimize performance across group size, showing that it can be useful not only for improving real world odor localization, but also for quantitatively characterizing the influence of group size on task performance.