New Scientist has a short article
(
http://www.newscientistspace.com/article.ns?id=mg18725165.200) about a
type self-repairing space craft skin under development that uses
ant-based algorithms. As you may know, ant-based algorithms (aka ant
colony optimization
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ant_colony_algorithm)
operate through metaphors of how ant colonies self-organize to solve
complex problems. This seems to be a promising application.
Cheers,
Charlie
"And I, for one, welcome our new insect overlords." -Kent Brockman