FOCAS 2015 - Workshop on Fundamentals of Collective Systems

Collective Adaptive Systems (CAS) is a broad term that describes large-scale systems that comprise of many units/nodes, each of which may have their own individual properties, objectives and actions. Decision-making in such a system is distributed and possibly highly dispersed, and interaction between the units may lead to the emergence of unexpected phenomena. CAS are open, in that nodes may enter or leave the collective at any time, and boundaries between CASs are fluid. The units can be highly heterogeneous (computers, robots, agents, devices, biological entities, etc.), each operating at different temporal and spatial scales, and having different (potentially conflicting) objectives and goals. Understanding the mechanisms that underpin the design and operation of CAS systems poses significant challenges: the workshop solicits discussion papers that will stimulate the thinking and discussion required to progress research within collective adaptive systems