Collective alteration of strategic types with delayed global information

Abstract

This paper proposes a computational model of the emergent collective behavior of multiple robots. For systems with multiple strategies, multi-stable systems can be produced provided payoff functions can group strategies by strategic types. Robots with any initial distribution of strategies can asymptotically converge to one equilibrium state. This paper focuses mainly on the dynamics by which all robots eventually change their strategic type whenever a small fraction of robots, called instigators, change their strategic type. The results of a computer simulation based on this model are also described.