Boidsmodell

The Boids model is a computer simulation developed by Craig Reynolds in 1986 to study the flocking behavior of birds. It is a form of artificial life that simulates the collective movement of a group of simple agents, called "boids." Each boid follows a set of basic rules, and their emergent behavior creates complex patterns that resemble natural flocking.

The core of the Boids model lies in three fundamental rules applied to each individual boid: separation, alignment, and cohesion. Separation dictates that a boid should steer to avoid crowding local flockmates. Alignment requires a boid to steer towards the average heading of local flockmates. Cohesion instructs a boid to steer towards the average position of local flockmates. These simple rules, when applied simultaneously to a population of agents, lead to the realistic appearance of flocking, schooling, or swarming behavior.

Reynolds developed the Boids model to explore how intelligent behavior can arise from simple interaction rules at the individual level. The simulation has been influential in computer graphics, robotics, and artificial intelligence. It demonstrates how complex, seemingly organized group behavior can emerge from decentralized control and local interactions without a central leader or global plan. Variations of the Boids model have been used to simulate various forms of collective motion in nature and in artificial systems.