Introduction

Abstract

Although there is no unique definition of the term natural computing, most commonly the field is considered to consist of three main strands of enquiry: see Fig. 1.1. The first strand concerns the use of natural materials and phenomena for computational purposes such as DNA and molecular computing (computing in vivo); the second strand concerns the application of computer simulations to replicate natural phenomena in order to better understand those phenomena (e.g., artificial life, agent based modelling and computational biology); and the third strand, which forms the subject matter of this book, is concerned with the development of computational algorithms which draw their metaphorical inspiration from systems and phenomena that occur in the natural world.