ActiveInferAnts is a cutting-edge computational framework designed for simulating ant colony behaviors and complex systems through the lens of Active Inference and the Free Energy Principle.

Our mission with ActiveInferAnts is to offer a robust, scalable platform that enables the simulation and in-depth analysis of emergent phenomena within decentralized multi-agent systems, extending beyond ant colonies to encompass a wide range of complex systems.

• Grounded in Active Inference and Free Energy Principle.
• Features a modular and extensible architecture, complete with support for parallel computing and other features.
• Includes comprehensive multiscale ant agent models equipped with sensory inputs, motor functions, and mechanisms for learning and adaptation (at the nestmate & colony levels).
• Offers detailed modeling of niches and environments for realistic nested simulations.
• Enables analysis of emergent colony behaviors, including foraging, trail formation, and task allocation.
• Provides validation tools and utilities for empirical data, facilitating mapping simulations to real-world ant species and back.

To dive into the world of Active InferAnts:

1. Clone the repository to your local machine.
2. Follow the instructions to install all necessary dependencies.
3. Begin exploring through our tutorials and example simulations to get a feel for the system.
4. Utilize the API documentation as a resource for creating your own models and simulations.

Your contributions are what make ActiveInferAnts thrive. We invite you to consult our CONTRIBUTING.md for comprehensive guidelines on how to contribute, whether through bug reports, feature suggestions, or documentation enhancements.

We are committed to fostering a collaborative environment to push the boundaries of scientific and myrmecological research, enhancing the framework's accessibility, precision, and practical application.

ActiveInferAnts is proudly open-source, available under the terms of the License.

Our heartfelt thanks go out to the community of researchers and developers in the open-source ecosystem. Their pioneering work lays the groundwork for ActiveInferAnts, making it possible for us to explore new frontiers in computational modeling and analysis.