Improvement of signal communication for a foraging task using evolutionary robotics

Abstract

Communication systems represent an evolutionary advantage for a group of robots solving coordinated tasks. In the field of evolutionary robotics, the emergence and establishment of communication are regulated by different variables. These systems are a tool produced by artificial evolution for the exchange of personal and environmental information. Since evolutionary processes involve multi-objective evolutionary methods, it is important to study all the mechanisms that affect the emergence and establishment of communication systems. One of these variables is the evolutionary advantage of emerging signals. In this article it is assumed that the signals appear because they are evolutionarily useful in solving a task. Emitter and receiver generate a process of conceptualization, which makes the signals associated with a meaning for the community. In this way an experiment is adapted to the FARSA simulator and the MARXBOT robot. This experiment consists of a group of robots that spend as much time as possible in a food zone and avoid a poisoned zone. Under normal conditions, robots tend to point to the food zone to attract the rest of the population. When the evolutionary importance of pointing out the food zone is reduced, the signals arise in different situations such as the presence of nearby objects and the poisoned zone. Communication is configured with the LED rings and linear cameras of the robots. In addition, an ethological method is adapted to quantify the behavioral effects of experimental manipulation.