This repository contains information needed to answer call for papers.
It is modeled after the Booster Conf 2020 call for papers request.
3 hours
a murmuring of mesmerizing starlings.
Seeing a big flock of birds flying as if they are one organism is a mesmerizing experience. One often wonders: "How do these birds ``know'' what to do?".
Although the overall behavior of the flock seems very complex, it is an emergent property of a few simple rules.
In an elegant algorithm Craig Reynolds showed that flocking behavior is possible if birds seek to
- Avoid collisions by separating from there immediate neighbors.
- Aligning themselves in the direction the group is moving.
- Seeking to minimize exposure by trying to move towards the center of the flock.
In this workshop you will get to learn about these rules in detail by commanding your own flock of virtual creatures. Your task is to program the brains of your obedient birds and see how from your code flocking emerges. In the virtual world you will encounter other species, both docile and predatory, that offer new challenges.
You will walk away with a new understanding of the complex interplay of interacting systems, how intricate behavior can emerge from simple rules and a new appriciation of the natural world.
Developer, Tester/Test lead, Architect, Designer
We will start with by welcoming the participants to our workshop, introducing ourselves and detailing the agenda and goal. Next we will briefly explain the flocking algorithm, highlighting the key concepts and showing where participants can learn more about the details. We will provide them with reading material and a guide. Next the participants can implements their agents, diving directly in the meat of the algorithm, working from the starter kits we provide them. Participants can monitor their progress via a classroom visualization of their flock. We will close with a group discussion of the hurdles that were overcome, insights gained and experiences counted.
0:00 - 0:05 introduction 0:05 - 0:30 Explanation of algorithm and environment 0:30 - 2:30 Implement flock behavior 2:30 - 3:00 Show and tell
50
This will be the first time this workshop will be given. It is tailored to Booster Conf.
The participants can form pairs and work on a machine with their favorite environment. Starter kits will be provided in various languages to let the participants hit the ground running.
Jan-Erik Rediger