Synchronization of phase oscillators as a model of synergy in sensor networks

One of the most challenging phenomena that can be observed in an ensemble of interacting agents is that of self-organisation, viz. emergent, collective behaviour, also known as synergy. The concept of synergy is well-known in the artificial intelligence community, in social science, and in management and economic sciences. The paradigm may be expressed by identifying an ensemble performance measure that yields more than the sum of the individual performance measures of the constituents. The aim of the present study is to discuss in a simple conceptual model system under what circumstances self-organization is feasible and to discuss what type of agents and interactions are minimally required to induce synergy among agents. As a case in point we discuss the emergent phase coherence of a multi-oscillator system with non-linear all-to-all coupling between the oscillators. In the thermodynamic limit of infinitely many interacting agents this system shows spontaneous organization. Simulations indicate that also for finite populations that are not completely connected partial phase synchronization spontaneously emerges if the interaction strength is strong enough.