Computation is central to the science of collective behaviour. Much of what we can achieve in Areas A and B is due to the synergies between these Areas and Area C. Computational and mathematical approaches enable us to reveal mechanisms of interaction in natural collectives, e.g., via automated tracking, computational reconstruction of body postures and sensory fields, sophisticated virtual reality systems for animals, and methods to make sense of the vast multi-scale data we acquire. However, this is not a one-way street. The biological and psychological insights from Areas A and B are directly employed to build new engineered solutions, such as for 3D imaging, behavioural decomposition and analysis, collective AI, and for the creation of highly effective robot swarms that harness the remarkable movement and decision-making capabilities of natural collectives.
