Chapter 1
Nature's genius blueprint
Chapter 2
The algorithms of the crowd
Chapter 3
Swarms at work
Chapter 4
The frontier and the rules
YOUR GOAL
Master of The secret language of robot swarms
Ch 1 · Nature's genius blueprint
007skaty In Elkmont and Southeast Asian mangrove forests, these insects adjust their blink timing to neighbors, creating synchronized swarms
BETA
007skaty Tap to connect drone signals to learn how autonomous swarms coordinate without a leader.
Fun Fact
Bird swarm math: A flock of 10,000 starlings can turn instantly without colliding because each bird only watches its seven closest neighbors.
Glossary
biomimicry (noun)
The imitation of natural biological designs or processes in order to solve human problems. Roboticists use this practice to design machine swarms for navigating unpredictable alien terrains like Europa.
The imitation of natural biological designs or processes in order to solve human problems. Roboticists use this practice to design machine swarms for navigating unpredictable alien terrains like Europa.
Quiz
In biology, what is the term for a group of birds flying in a massive, coordinated, shape-shifting cloud?
Quiz
What term did Pierre-Paul Grassé coin in 1959 to describe indirect communication through the environment?
007skaty Ants use a decentralized coordination system called stigmergy to build trails
Quiz
What sensory organ do fish use to detect water pressure changes and swim close together?
Quiz
Which bird species was studied in Rome in 2008 to unlock the secrets of natural swarm flight?
Quiz
Which animal's synchronized flashing inspired new ways to coordinate wireless sensor networks?
Quiz
Where can tourists witness the synchronized flashing of Photinus carolinus fireflies every summer?