Swarm Intelligence: From Natural to Artificial Systems (Santa Fe Institute Studies on the Sciences of Complexity)

Rating:
Summary: Algorithms inspired by social insects
Review: A good synthesis of studies on swarm intelligence. It is fascinating to see how complex intelligent behavior can emerge from simple rules and numerous interactions without any plan or centralized coordination. Algorithms inspired by social insects can be applied in many disciplines. It is a book easy to understand but difficult to read through for those who don't love algorithms. It includes a very neat introduction to the subject with many clear examples. Everyone should read that part and at least throw a glance at the rest of the book.

Rating:
Summary: Impressively good, but not an introduction
Review: Compared to "Swarm intelligence" by James Kennedy, this one is not introductive but gets quite deep into the working of applying the "swarm" paradigm to optimization problems. I would rather recommmend for a person not used to meta-heuristics and optimization to first go to the book by Kennedy. Only if one is interested in using swarm for solving real optimization problems reading this one is a good idea.

This book illustrates several features of swarm behavior that can be leveraged for optimization. The authors writing style is equivalent to technical papers, so be prepared...this is no easy book.

Rating:
Summary: Impressively good, but not an introduction
Review: Compared to "Swarm intelligence" by James Kennedy, this one is not introductive but gets quite deep into the working of applying the "swarm" paradigm to optimization problems. I would rather recommmend for a person not used to meta-heuristics and optimization to first go to the book by Kennedy. Only if one is interested in using swarm for solving real optimization problems reading this one is a good idea.

This book illustrates several features of swarm behavior that can be leveraged for optimization. The authors writing style is equivalent to technical papers, so be prepared...this is no easy book.

Rating:
Summary: A first milestone in the study of Swarm Intelligence
Review: The book of Bonabeau, Dorigo, and Theraulaz is an excellent example of synergetic work between a physicist, an engineer, and a biologist. The Swarm Intelligence principles are first described and understood through models in natural systems and then translated in optimization algorithms, distributed algorithms for robotic control, and so on. Even if the book does not completely succeed in linking all three disciplines together - computer science, engineering, and biology - under a sound, common formalism, it represents an extremely up to date collection of work carried out worldwide in the field of Swarm Intelligence. I strongly believe in the future of this field and of its applications to problems hard to tackle with classical techniques. This book summarizes in an very equilibrated way the early, promising steps of Swarm Intelligence.