In the group structure among several possible states in the corresponding free energy landscape. Despite significant research and progress in studying natural22?0 and engineered31?3 collective systems, the field is still trying to quantify the dynamical states in a collective motion and predict the transition betweenDepartment of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1453, USA. 2Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2560, USA. Correspondence and requests for GW610742 price materials should be addressed to P.B. (email: pbogdan@usc. edu)Scientific RepoRts | 6:27602 | DOI: 10.1038/srepwww.nature.com/scientificreports/Figure 1. Schematic description of the main steps for building the energy landscape for a group of N agents moving in a three-dimensional space. (a) First, we subdivide the trajectories of all agents in the group to equal sub-intervals centered at time tc with a time window of [t c – /2, t c + /2], where is the predefined time scale. Next, we estimate the three-dimensional probability distribution function of the motion of the group for each sub-interval. (b) We use the Kantorovich metric to cluster these sub-interval time series based on their similarities in the probability distribution function. Each cluster of sub-intervals can be interpreted as a state for the collective motion. (c) In the last step, we estimate the transition probability matrix among the identified states of the collective motion. them. Toward this end, in this paper, we develop a new approach, which for the first time identifies and extracts the dynamical states of the spatial formation and structure for a collective group. Our mathematical framework enables the estimation of the free energy landscape of the states of the group motion and also quantifies the transitions among them. In this approach, we are able to distinguish between stable and transition states in a motion by differentiating them according to their energy level and the amount of time the group prefers to stay in each state. We noticed the collective group has a lower energy level at stable states compared to transition ones. This could be the reason for which the group prefers to stay for a relatively longer time in stable states compared to transition states during their motion. Furthermore, the group’s structure may convert to one of the possible transition states with higher energy level while reorganizing itself and evolving between two different stable states with different spatial organization. To provide a quantifiable approach for the collective motion complexity, based on the newly described free energy landscape, we introduce first the concept of missing information related to spatio-temporal conformation of a group motion and then quantify the emergence, self-organization and LDN193189 chemical information complexity associated with the exhibited spatial and temporal group dynamics. We define these metrics for a collective motion based on general definitions in information theory presented by Shannon44,45. Our approach enables a mathematical quantification of biological collective motion complexity. Furthermore, this framework allows us to recognize and differentiate among various possible states based on their relative energy level and complexity measures. Identifying these dynamical states opens the avenue in robotics for developing engineered collective motions with desired level of emergence, self-org.In the group structure among several possible states in the corresponding free energy landscape. Despite significant research and progress in studying natural22?0 and engineered31?3 collective systems, the field is still trying to quantify the dynamical states in a collective motion and predict the transition betweenDepartment of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-1453, USA. 2Department of Electrical Engineering, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90089-2560, USA. Correspondence and requests for materials should be addressed to P.B. (email: pbogdan@usc. edu)Scientific RepoRts | 6:27602 | DOI: 10.1038/srepwww.nature.com/scientificreports/Figure 1. Schematic description of the main steps for building the energy landscape for a group of N agents moving in a three-dimensional space. (a) First, we subdivide the trajectories of all agents in the group to equal sub-intervals centered at time tc with a time window of [t c – /2, t c + /2], where is the predefined time scale. Next, we estimate the three-dimensional probability distribution function of the motion of the group for each sub-interval. (b) We use the Kantorovich metric to cluster these sub-interval time series based on their similarities in the probability distribution function. Each cluster of sub-intervals can be interpreted as a state for the collective motion. (c) In the last step, we estimate the transition probability matrix among the identified states of the collective motion. them. Toward this end, in this paper, we develop a new approach, which for the first time identifies and extracts the dynamical states of the spatial formation and structure for a collective group. Our mathematical framework enables the estimation of the free energy landscape of the states of the group motion and also quantifies the transitions among them. In this approach, we are able to distinguish between stable and transition states in a motion by differentiating them according to their energy level and the amount of time the group prefers to stay in each state. We noticed the collective group has a lower energy level at stable states compared to transition ones. This could be the reason for which the group prefers to stay for a relatively longer time in stable states compared to transition states during their motion. Furthermore, the group’s structure may convert to one of the possible transition states with higher energy level while reorganizing itself and evolving between two different stable states with different spatial organization. To provide a quantifiable approach for the collective motion complexity, based on the newly described free energy landscape, we introduce first the concept of missing information related to spatio-temporal conformation of a group motion and then quantify the emergence, self-organization and complexity associated with the exhibited spatial and temporal group dynamics. We define these metrics for a collective motion based on general definitions in information theory presented by Shannon44,45. Our approach enables a mathematical quantification of biological collective motion complexity. Furthermore, this framework allows us to recognize and differentiate among various possible states based on their relative energy level and complexity measures. Identifying these dynamical states opens the avenue in robotics for developing engineered collective motions with desired level of emergence, self-org.
