Symmetry and symmetry-breaking in multiagent behavior

This paper presents some results about properties of the spatial behavior of systems consisting of many artificial agents (robots). The general goal is to understand how the complexity of group behavior is related to individual behavior, and how differences arise and can be grounded. We argue that symmetry and symmetry-breaking are essential factors for the organization of spatial group behavior. They can serve as guiding principles for the construction of agents for real-world environments. This work was presented, in part, at the Second International Symposium on Artifical Life and Robotics, Oita, Japan, February 18–20, 1997