The mathematics of motion camouflage

Abstract

Motion camouflage is a strategy whereby an aggressor moves towards a target while appearing stationary to the target except for the inevitable change in perceived size of the aggressor as it approaches. The strategy has been observed in insects, and mathematical models using discrete time or neural-network control have been used to simulate the behaviour. Here, the differential equations for motion camouflage are derived and some simple cases are analysed. These equations are easy to simulate numerically, and simulations indicate that motion camouflage is more efficient than the classical pursuit strategy ('move directly towards the target').