SELFISH ANIMATS AND ROBOT ETHOLOGY - USING ARTIFICIAL ANIMALS TO INVESTIGATE SOCIAL AND SPATIAL-BEHAVIOR

An animat is either a computer simulated animal or a robot with behavi or that can be experimentally manipulated and monitored. Thus, animats are useful in the development and testing of theoretical models. Anim ats have been used to study a variety of behaviors including our resea rch of spacing and social behavior. Initially, we used the simplest mo del of a confined animal: a point, generated at a random location but stationary position within a two-dimensional pen. Representing a highe r level of complexity, groups of two-dimensional animats were simulate d with random movement in bounded space. Animat investigations are dis cussed to demonstrate their usefulness in defining spatial requirement s of animals and in determining the effects of group size, pen shape a nd pen dimensions on spacing. Animat modeling could lead to more effic ient and welfare positive animal housing designs. We suggest that arti ficial intelligence research has much to contribute to the understandi ng of complex behavioral phenomena and thus to applied ethology.