Souvik Mandal

Indian Institute of Science Bangalore, Harvard University

Papers

Total Citations

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About

Souvik Mandal is a behavioral ecologist whose research illuminates the remarkable collective intelligence of social insects, particularly ants, and its applications in robotics. His work centers on understanding how simple agents—whether biological or synthetic—cooperate to solve complex problems, bridging the gap between animal behavior and bio-inspired engineering. Mandal’s most cited paper, “How do animals find their way back home? A brief overview of homing behavior with special reference to social Hymenoptera” (2018, 25 citations), provides a foundational synthesis of navigation strategies in social insects, highlighting their sophisticated spatial cognition. His more recent studies, “Dynamics of cooperative excavation in ant and robot collectives” (2022, 16 citations) and “Cooperative escape in ants and robots” (2021, 2 citations), pioneer an integrative approach, directly comparing emergent solutions in ant colonies with those in engineered robot swarms. These contributions demonstrate how collective action—from digging tunnels to escaping confinement—arises from local interactions without central control. Mandal’s work not only advances fundamental understanding of swarm intelligence but also offers practical insights for designing robust, decentralized robotic systems. His research is essential reading for students and researchers interested in collective behavior, animal cognition, and the future of bio-inspired robotics.