Anonymous leadership and stochastic resonance in collectives of self-propelled robots

Abstract

We investigate the influence of an anonymous leader on a collective of self-propelled robots using Kilobot experiments and numerical simulations. A single leader alternated deterministically between clockwise and counterclockwise motion, while the other robots followed a stochastic majority rule. Although the leader does not change global order, it induces correlations with the collective response that peak at intermediate perturbation levels, resembling stochastic resonance. Simulations confirm that this resonance occurs when the leader's reversal period matches the mean residence time of the unperturbed system. Our results contribute to understanding decision-making in active matter and suggesting principles for steering robotic swarms with minimal leadership input.