Nature has various approaches to manage the collective distribution of resources. The division of a honeybee colony into subgroups, the formation of ant trails to food sources, and the spread of tree branches to optimize the access to light are some examples of collective decision making for resource distribution. This paper investigates collective distribution via an algorithm named vascular morphogenesis controller (VMC). This algorithm is inspired by plant morphogenesis that is a result of competitions between branches for shared resources, e.g., water and minerals. The algorithm acts on a directed graph and determines its dynamics over time. The nodes of the graph collectively decide on the distribution of a shared resource to propose the places to add or remove new nodes. The resulting dynamical system is adaptive to variations in the structural and environmental conditions. In this paper, the VMC is embodied in a modular physical structure. The structures’ modules host the nodes of the VMC graph. They may suggest changes in the morphology over time, and a human can manually implement them into the physical structure. The paper investigates the effects of different parameters of the algorithm on the collective behavior of the system, both through embodied implementations and theory. The investigations have led to a better understanding of various aspects of the VMC and provided new knowledge to facilitate parameter selection for potential applications. Furthermore, the analyses have indicated similarities between the VMC and other types of collective systems, suggesting the potential benefits of viewing those systems from the perspective of resource distribution.

中文翻译：

---

建立集体资源分配理论：动态形态发生控制器的研究

大自然有多种方法来管理资源的集体分配。将蜜蜂群落划分为亚组，形成蚂蚁踪迹以获取食物，通过传播树枝来优化光照，这些都是资源分配集体决策的例子。本文研究了一种通过称为血管形态发生控制器（VMC）的算法进行的集体分布。该算法的灵感来自于植物形态发生，这是分支之间争夺共享资源（例如水和矿物质）的结果。该算法作用于有向图，并确定其随时间变化的动态。图的节点共同决定共享资源的分布，以提议添加或删除新节点的位置。产生的动力系统适应结构和环境条件的变化。在本文中，VMC体现在模块化的物理结构中。结构的模块托管VMC图的节点。他们可能会建议形态随时间的变化，人类可以手动将其实现为物理结构。本文通过具体实现和理论研究了算法的不同参数对系统集体行为的影响。通过调查，可以更好地理解VMC的各个方面，并提供了新的知识，以方便潜在应用的参数选择。此外，分析表明VMC与其他类型的集体系统之间存在相似之处，