Tamàs VICSEK

Department of Biological Physics, Eötvös Loránd University, Hungary

http://hal.elte.hu/~vicsek/

T. Vicsek is a professor of physics at the Department of Biological Physics of Eotvos University, Budapest. His main areas of research include Complex Networks, Collective Motion (both modelling and experiments).

Network dynamics in collective motion

Collective motion patterns are perhaps the most widespread and spectacular manifestations of collective behaviour. The ultimate goal we face is to find unifying principles describing the essential aspects of flocking. On the way in this direction it is a natural approach to investigate the delicate dynamics of the inetractions between the co-moving individual units. After an introduction to the topic, a recent model and two new experiments will be discussed. The model has been designed to capture the basic aspects of network dynamics in a very simple system of collectively moving particles. The experimental observations involve a system of self-propelled toy boats and a study of the hierarchical network dynamics in pigeon flocks.