Abstract
Two of the problems solved by collective systems are how to divide work among individuals and how to move together in space. Both problems appear in nature and engineering. My research asks how these two abilities can be connected. First, I study how a limited number of robots should be allocated across several tasks when each task is modeled with different performance curves. I show that the optimal allocation changes with swarm size and is not simply proportional to task difficulty. Second, I study collective motion using ring attractor dynamics, a neural mechanism that can represent heading direction. I show that ring-attractor-based agents can form flocks even with local repulsive interactions. Finally, I explore whether task regions can act as attractive stimuli, allowing agents to distribute themselves across tasks without central coordination.
About the speaker
Simay Atasoy earned a Master’s degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Turkey, in 2022.During her master's studies, she worked in the robotics research and development department of a company. After completing her degree, she continued working in the industry before transitioning to academia. She is currently pursuing a PhD in Computer Science at the University of Konstanz, where her research focuses on collective decision making and task allocation.