Stigmergy
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Stigmergy is a method of communication in emergent systems in which the individual parts of the system communicate with one another by modifying their local environment. Stigmergy was first observed in nature; for example, ants communicate to one another by laying down pheromones along their trails, so an ant colony is a stigmergic system. Another common example is nest-building in termites. Termites also use pheromones to build very complex structures by following a simple decentralized rule set. Each insect scoops up a 'mudball' or similar material from its environment, invests the ball with pheromones, and deposits it on the ground. Termites are attracted to their nestmates' pheromones and are therefore more likely to drop their own mudballs near their neighbors'. Over time this leads to the construction of pillars, arches, tunnels and chambers.
Stigmergy is also demonstrated by the internet in which users communicate with each other by modifying their shared virtual environment. This wiki is a perfect example! The massive structure of information available here could be compared to a termite nest; one initial user leaves a seed of an idea (a mudball) which attracts other users who then build upon and modify this initial concept eventually constructing an elaborate structure of connected thoughts.
The term was introduced by French biologist Pierre-Paul Grassé in 1959 to refer to termite behavior. He defined it as: "Stimulation of workers by the performance they have achieved." It is now also employed in experimental research in robotics, multi-agent systems and communication in computer networks.
External links
- Stigmergic Systems (http://www.stigmergicsystems.com) is a portal for research in the area