Title: Collective coordination and self-induced phase changes
Abstract: Active matter describes ensembles of self-organizing agents, or particles, interacting with their local environments so that their micro-scale behavior determines macro-scale characteristics of the ensemble. We will present some recent results designing active matter systems to achieve specific tasks, such as gathering and dispersing. In addition, we will show how they can communicate locally to modify their collective response to changing local conditions, such as the discovery or depletion of food.