Collective Movement Simulation: Methods and Applications

Collective movement simulations are challenging and important in many areas, including life science, mathematics, physics, information science and public safety. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art techniques for collective movement simulations. We start with a discussion on certain concepts to help beginners understand it more systematically. Then, we analyze the intelligence among different collective objects and the emphasis in different fields. Next, we classify existing collective movement simulation methods into four categories according to their effects, namely versatility, accuracy, dynamic adaptability, and assessment feedback capability. Furthermore, we introduce five applications of layout optimization, emergency control, dispatching, unmanned systems, and other derivative applications. Finally, we summarize possible future research directions.