Changelog Master Feed NOT a swarm! (Changelog & Friends #118)
9 snips
Nov 21, 2025 Chris Benson, co-host of Practical AI and a robotics expert, dives into the fascinating world of AI and swarming technology. He offers a precise definition of 'swarm' and distinguishes it from commonly misconceived notions. The discussion covers the convergence of AI and robotics, consumer automation, and practical uses of swarming in household conservation. Chris emphasizes the importance of safety measures in emergent swarm behavior and shares insights on starting with swarms using ROS2 and local models. A riveting talk for tech enthusiasts!
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Home Automation Sparked Practical Tinkering
- Chris bought a house with extensive home automation already installed and used it to level up his hobby quickly.
- Inheriting that infrastructure made integrating robots and agents feel achievable and practical.
Strict Definition Of A Real Swarm
- Chris Benson defines a true swarm as many independent autonomous agents exhibiting coordinated emergent behavior toward a mission under human-on-the-loop C3.
- Most current multi-robot setups are fleets or coordinated systems, not true swarms as he specifies.
Swarm As One Collective Entity
- A swarm functions as a single entity where individuals sacrifice personal identity for the colony's mission outcome.
- That emergent collective intent is what differentiates swarms from mere fleets or coordinated robots.
