Game theory: Model shows how people crowd on trains at rush hour

Using a combination of game theory and the physics of complex systems, it’s possible to model the behaviour of a rush hour commuter crowd

By Alex Wilkins

A game theory-inspired model shows how the areas around train doors become crowded at rush hour. The model could eventually be used as a tool for designing safer public venues.

When two players interact, such as countries vying for resources or prize winners deciding how to split their winnings, the situation can be modelled using game theory, which assumes both parties make rational, strategic decisions.

Thibault Bonnemain at Northumbria University, UK, and his colleagues used a combination of game theory and the physics of …