Editorial:
Special Issue on Bio-Logging and Robotics
Koichi Osuka, Koichi Hashimoto, Midori Sakura, and Shizuko Hiryu
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Osaka University
2-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka 565-0871, Japan
Professor, Graduate School of Information Sciences, Tohoku University
6-6-01 Aramaki Aza Aoba, Aoba-ku, Sendai 980-8579, Japan
Associate Professor, Graduate School of Science, Kobe University
1-1 Rokkodai-cho, Nada-ku, Kobe, Hyogo 657-8501, Japan
Professor, Faculty of Life and Medical Sciences, Doshisha University
1-3 Tatara-miyakodani, Kyotanabe, Kyoto 610-0321, Japan
In the studies done to date on the swarm behaviors of animals, many different observational techniques have been developed, indicating the importance of such detailed observations. The techniques of researchers aiming to capture the swarm behavior of animals, which is normally visually unobservable, have included attaching microsensors to honey bees or ants and data loggers (micro recorders) to birds or mammals. Such techniques, collectively known as “bio-logging,” can go far in clarifying why we feel animals that exhibit swarm behaviors seem to have a sort of collective intelligence, or “swarm intelligence.” Furthermore, studies on the swarm behaviors of animals may provide important clues to researchers in the field of swarm robotics. It is in this context that this special issue presents papers on bio-logging technologies, the collective behaviors of animals, and various advanced measurement technologies related to them.
This special issue consists of one review article and 14 research papers. The subjects cover a wide range of areas, including control engineering, data science, and ecology. Thus, bio-logging is an interdisciplinary area that can expect to see much growth in the near future.
The editors are confident that this issue will greatly contribute to further progress in the field of bio-logging.
This article is published under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivatives 4.0 Internationa License.