Guntai Ali follows two simple algorithms when building a bridge with their body

byAxel Rouvin

GuntaiariUnlike ordinary ants, they do not make a nest, and a large group is known for living while marching like an army. Quanta Magazine summarizes the algorithm that Alun 's individuals gather at a place that Guntaiari can not proceed normally, a bridge is bridged, and the herd goes on it, but the algorithm for Guntai Ali regularly bridges.

The Simple Algorithm That Ants Use to Build Bridges | Quanta Magazine
https://www.quantamagazine.org/the-simple-algorithm-that-ants-use-to-build-bridges-20180226/

Guntaiari will form colonies as large as 1 million, move around the jungle looking for food without having a nest to settle. In the endless martial arts, if there are cracks that can not be crossed anywhere and there is a place where you want to shortcut, despite the fact that the role of "ant to make a bridge" has not been defined, Guntai Ali is in his own body I will make a bridge.

This is a movie that understands the state of the bridge that the military ants make.

Army Ant Bridge


Guntaiari's brain is very small, and in addition it is nearly blind, so we can not cooperate with other ants to do elaborate group movements. New Jersey Institute of TechnologySimon GarnierAssociate professor says, "There are no architects who declare" Guntaiari will build a bridge here, "unless there is a leader who leads the group," Guntai Ali makes a bridge by a simple algorithm work I am doing it.

The key to clarifying how Guntaiari decides to build a bridge and to actually clarify the bridge is "to be an ant's perspective". First, if there are cracks and cliffs on Guntary's path, marching speed will be slower near the beginning of the flock that encountered the crack. However, since the speed of march of ants walking from behind will not become loose, I will continue marching at the same speed as before and will ride on the backs of ants that are stopped at the top without proceeding. At this moment, the two algorithms input to Guntai Ali work.

First of all, the algorithm that "Guntaiari riding in the back stops moving". At the time other ants ride on the back, Guntaiari below stops moving and forms part of the bridge. Ali on top will walk on the under ant, but will not be able to proceed immediately. But from the back of the flock, the next ant came one after another and came on the ant which can not be advanced ahead, so the ant riding above freeze according to the algorithm. By repeating this, the bridge grows little by little on the cliff and eventually it reaches the other side. Ali going on behind goes over on the thus completed bridge.

byKasi Metcalfe

However, when bridging for a shortcut, Guntai Ali does not necessarily choose the shortest distance. To Guntai Ali, there is no brain that "I want to bridge here" "This is the shortest distance" Naturally, another algorithm works here. According to Mr. Garnier, "Guntarial solves the trade-off between cost and merit with an algorithm".

Ants used to build bridges can not engage in other tasks such as looking for baits. Therefore, with the method of bridging all the places where you can build a bridge, the disadvantage that "other ants can walk on the bridge" and "the work other than becoming a bridge can not be done" will not be balanced. Guntaiari usually uses about 50 ants per bridge and sometimes maintains as many as 40 to 50 bridges in one herd.Research in 2015According to Guntaiari, about 20% of the flock can be fixed as a bridge, but with a short distance shortening it does not match the cost of fixing ants, and conversely if the bridge is too long it does not match the cost.

Guntaiari which is a bridge chooses "whether or not to maintain the state where you are a bridge" by algorithm. This algorithm is very simple, it continues to be a bridge as long as the traffic of ants passing over the back is above a certain level and ceases to be a bridge below a certain level. The fact that the traffic volume falls below a certain level means that too many ants are bridges and it is inefficient. A group of Guntaiari does not think each individual is thinking in the brain but judges the cost and merit of constructing a bridge simply by following a fixed algorithm and has evolved to be able to build a bridge when cost is commensurate It is.

byBernard DUPONT

According to the research result that Guntaiari's group follows a very simple algorithm and bridges and bridges, it may be possible to use collective robots like autonomous herds . It seems to be difficult to control the environment where multiple robots are mutually intertwined, but it may be possible to govern by simply incorporating a simple algorithm.