Self-organized sorting of heterotypic agents via a chemotaxis paradigm

Linge Bai, Manolya Eyiyurekli, Peter I. Lelkes, David E. Breen

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

10 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cell sorting is a fundamental phenomenon in morphogenesis, a process that leads to shape formation in living organisms. The sorting of heterotypic cell populations is produced by a variety of inter-cellular actions, e.g. differential chemotactic response, adhesion, rigidity, and motility. Via a process called chemotaxis, living cells respond to chemicals released by other cells into the environment. Inspired by the biological phenomena of chemotaxis and cell sorting in heterotypic cell aggregates, we propose a chemotaxis-based algorithm that sorts self-organizing heterotypic agents. In our algorithm, two types of agents are initially randomly placed in a toroidal environment. Agents emit a chemical signal and interact with nearby agents. Given the appropriate parameters, the two kinds of agents self-organize into a complex aggregate consisting of a single group of one type of agent surrounded by agents of the second type. This paper describes the chemotaxis-based sorting algorithm, the behaviors of our self-organizing heterotypic agents, evaluation of the final aggregates and parametric studies of the algorithm.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)594-611
Number of pages18
JournalScience of Computer Programming
Volume78
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1 2013

Keywords

  • Agents
  • Chemotaxis
  • Self-organization
  • Sorting
  • Swarm robotics

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Self-organized sorting of heterotypic agents via a chemotaxis paradigm'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this