Swarm Grammars GD: Interactive Exploration of Swarm Dynamics and Structural Development
Sebastian von Mammen, Sarah Edenhofer · 2014
We present an interactive simulation of Swarm Grammars (SGs). SGs are an extension of L-Systems, where symbols of the production system are considered agents, whereas the given production rules determine their differentiation or re-production. Assigning boid properties to the SG agents yields spatial dynamics apt to building structures in space and to col-laborate stigmergically. In the presented interactive simula-tion, we put an emphasis on accessible interactive visuals for shaping the initial configuration of the simulation, to program the agents ’ perceptual and productive behavioural abilities, to dynamically drive developmental stages and to fine-tune vi-sual structural properties such as colouring and scaling of the utilised developmental building blocks. Our system has been successfully deployed to promote swarm dynamics and de-velopmental processes as important aspects of Artificial Life in a playful way. We present results from deploying the sim-ulation in the context of an event to promote STEM research among high-school girls.