Collective behavior of "electronic fireflies"

TL;DR

This study investigates a system of electronic oscillators inspired by fireflies, demonstrating that they can exhibit phase-locking and complex flashing patterns through inhibitory pulse-coupling without explicit synchronization incentives.

Contribution

The paper introduces a biologically inspired electronic oscillator system that exhibits spontaneous phase-locking and complex dynamics, expanding understanding of collective behavior in pulse-coupled systems.

Findings

Phase-locking occurs without explicit synchronization incentives.

Complex dynamical patterns emerge in oscillator flashing sequences.

The system mimics inhibitory pulse-coupled neuron interactions.

Abstract

A simple system composed of electronic oscillators capable of emitting and detecting light-pulses is studied. The oscillators are biologically inspired, their behavior is designed for keeping a desired light intensity, W, in the system. From another perspective, the system behaves like modified integrate and fire type neurons that are pulse-coupled with inhibitory type interactions: the firing of one oscillator delays the firing of all the others. Experimental and computational studies reveal that although no driving force favoring synchronization is considered, for a given interval of W phase-locking appears. This weak synchronization is sometimes accompanied by complex dynamical patterns in the flashing sequence of the oscillators.