CapBots: Swarm Simulation Without Wireless Communication

This project implements a simulation framework for CapBot networks — energy-constrained swarm robots that exchange data and energy via physical trophallaxis, inspired by social insects. The swarm operates without wireless communication, relying instead on decentralized behavior and local interactions.

🛠 Core Features

• Full simulation engine written in Ruby:

  • Custom-built core, graphics, and physics engine
  • Modular architecture for swarm behavior modeling
  • Dynamic configuration system for agents, maps, and behavior

• Integrated experiment system:

  • Configurable stop conditions, iteration counts, and parameter sweeps
  • Automated experimentation for parameter tuning and benchmarking

• Replayer tool:

  • Load and visualize simulation replays for debugging and performance analysis

• CLI interface:

  • Run simulations, replays, and experiments
  • Supports headless mode and configurable logging

📊 Rust/Python-Based Analysis Backend

• High-performance Rust module for automated data processing and visualization
• Generates statistics and comparative plots for:
  • Bot Data
  • Bot Energy Levels
  • Bot Statusses
  • Bot Locations
  • Cumulative Data
  • Cumulative Energy
• Includes best- & worst-parameter analysis for experiment optimization

📦 Project Overview

.
├── ansible                     - Ansible playbooks for deployment of experiments
├── bin                         - Ruby binaries
├── configurations              - Configuration files
│ └── maps                      - Map configurations
├── lib
│ ├── experiment                - Experiment management
│ ├── graphics                  - Graphics handling
│ ├── kd_tree                   - KD-Tree implementation
│ ├── logger                    - Logging utilities (for replays, experiments, etc.)
│ ├── physics                   - Physics engine
│ │ └── shape                   - Shape definitions
│ ├── replay                    - Replay system
│ └── simulation                - Simulation core
│     └── object                - Simulation objects
│         ├── bot               - Bot definitions
│         │ ├── capabilities    - Bot capabilities
│         │ ├── communication   - Communication management
│         │ ├── path            - Path and collision handling
│         │ ├── strategy        - Bot strategies
│         │ └── tasks           - Bot tasks (e.g. trophallaxis, data transfer, collisions, etc.)
│         ├── data              - Data bundles
│         └── obstacle          - Obstacle definitions (walls, stations, target stations)
├── logs                        - Log files (for replays)
├── spec                        - RSpec tests ;) 
├── sprites                     - Sprites
└── stats                       - Statistics and analysis