APIVOX PROJECT. A new theory of communication in bees and robotic systems. What is common. A new theory of communication in bees, which was developed during the study of vibro-acoustic signals of bees, led us to unexpected conclusions. Algorithms of communications in bees are perfectly suited for use in combat robotic systems, ensuring their interaction, mutual assistance and joint actions in an autonomous mode. © Glebskij So, what, according to our new theory, lies at the heart of the communication system of bees inside the hive? According to our ideas, within the beehive, bees use tactile and vibro-acoustic signals for interaction. Vibro-acoustic signals can be divided into several groups. The first group is signals generated by bees in the process of fulfilling sufficiently long works, such as ventilation of the hive, aeration of the brood, and heating of the nest. These signals have certain frequencies, or groups of frequencies, continue for a long time and can be well identified. The other two groups of signals are involved directly in the process of the most important communications of the bees, and represent a combination of communication signal that shows the beginning or the end of the message, and serves to attract the attention of all for whom this signal is intended, and the marker signals, indicating the process, work, or state of the bee or group of bees. According to our opinion, such signals can be issued by each bee periodically, or in accordance with the need. The algorithm of the operation of such a communication system reflects the interaction of the internal program of the individual, in this case bees, with the rest of the community. According to our theory, the internal program of the bee contains a group of blocks, comprising a list of works that the bee can perform, and these blocks are switching during the life of the bee, depending on its age. Of course, the program is not linear and has the conditions for returning to certain past blocks, depending on the urgent need and the physiological capabilities of the bee. But this is in emergency cases. If they do not exist, then the bee, depending on its age, performs certain jobs. How the bees choose these works... Scientists say that bees move chaotically along the hive and perform any work suitable for them according to their age. This means that the bee, moving inside the hive, analyzes vibro-acoustic markers of the works, which are being performed in the hive, and its own internal program, for the possibility of joining the cluster, or for the possibility of starting any needed work independently. Thus, the bee, realizing the need to do the work, takes part in it, and establishes its own "marker" in a position corresponding to its state, that is, periodically as needed, and issuing a corresponding vibro-acoustic signal. In the same way, a system of interaction of autonomous robotic systems can function, with different functional purposes and different capabilities to be organized. On the basis of the system of markers and individual communications, not only can information be exchanged, but, most importantly, on their own, clusters can be created, in order to solve a specific task, and after solving it, clusters can disintegrate, and individual robots can create new clusters, or act autonomously, solving other specific tasks. This can be especially important in a combat situation, when, in order to counteract a specific enemy, it is required in an autonomous mode to create groupings of robotic systems, for countermeasures, taking into account their specific capabilities to eliminate the threat that has arisen. In this case, the robotic systems can act autonomously, in accordance with the task, assigned to the grouping as a whole. They can perform offensive or defensive tasks, or simply control the territory. And, all this is possible with the use of a special algorithm for selecting the tasks to be performed by each individual robotic complex, within the framework of the general task, set for the group as a whole, and special communicational system. Our work on understanding communications and interactions in bees continues, and we hope to obtain even more interesting data, which can be used in practice in the process of design and management of robotic systems. Keywords bees, robot, robotic system, defence Countries Germany, Spain, France, United Kingdom, United States
