Self Organizing System

This issue is about how the original self-organizing map as well as variants and extensions of it can be applied in different fields. A wide range of applications is discussed - the analysis of financial stability, the fault diagnosis of plants, the creation of well-composed heterogeneous teams and the application of the self-organizing map to the atmospheric sciences.

The main challenge faced by designers of self-organizing systems is how to validate and control non-deterministic dynamics. Over-engineering the system may completely suppress self-organization with an outside influence, eliminating emergent patterns and decreasing robustness, adaptability and scalability. Whilst leaving too much non-determinism in the system’s behaviour may make its verification and validation almost impossible. This book presents the state-of-the-practice in successfully engineered self-organizing systems, and examines ways to balance design and self organization in the context of applications.

Self-organizing approaches inspired from biological systems, such as social insects, genetic, molecular and cellular systems under morphogenesis, and human mental development, has enjoyed great success in advanced robotic systems that need to work in dynamic and changing environments.

The main challenge faced by designers of self-organizing systems is how to validate and control non-deterministic dynamics. Over-engineering the system may completely suppress self-organization with an outside influence, eliminating emergent patterns and decreasing robustness, adaptability and scalability. Whilst leaving too much non-determinism in the system’s behaviour may make its verification and validation almost impossible. This book presents the state-of-the-practice in successfully engineered self-organizing systems, and examines ways to balance design and self organization in the context of applications.