Orientation by weighted randomness

Stefan Reimann
Research Group "Artificial Biology"
GMD - German National Research Center for Information Technology,
 53754 Birlinghoven, Germany


Ali Mansour
Bio-mimetic Control Research Center
The Institute of Physical and Chemical Research (RIKEN)
2271-130, Anagahora, Shimoshidami,  Moriyama-ku, Nagoya 463-0003, JAPAN

Abstract
This paper deals with the problem of how motion control can be achieved in
very simple systems under a minimal amount of preconditions. The system's design
therefore is as minimal as possible, reflecting the basal reflex-arc as observed in
biological systems. The model for the movement of the agent is a multiplicatively
modified random walk and thus does not represent a diffusion process of Langevin
type. The mobile agent shows a reliable and fast homing behavior towards a defined
area and finally stays in some defined neighborhood of this area. Moreover, obstacle
avoidance is shown to be an immediate result of the system's properties.

Keywords: bio-mimetic system's architecture, stochastic motion
control, homing behavior, obstacle avoidance