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Swimming speed of schooling fish controls social interaction strength in open-loop immersive virtual reality.

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Title: Swimming speed of schooling fish controls social interaction strength in open-loop immersive virtual reality.
Authors: Escobedo, Ramón1,2,3,4 (AUTHOR) escobedor@gmail.com, Reynaud, Justine1 (AUTHOR) justine.reynaud@univ-tlse3.fr, Sanchez, Stéphane2 (AUTHOR) stephane.sanchez@irit.fr, Sire, Clément3 (AUTHOR) clement.sire@utoulouse.fr, Theraulaz, Guy1 (AUTHOR) guy.theraulaz@univ-tlse3.fr
Source: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. 6/3/2026, Vol. 293 Issue 2072, p1-10. 10p.
Subjects: Fish schooling, Virtual reality, Statistical models, Social interaction, Synchronization, Swarming (Zoology)
Abstract: Collective motion in fish schools emerges from local social interactions, whose strength may vary with behavioural context. Swimming speed is known to influence manoeuvrability, spatial organization and information flow, yet its causal role in shaping social interaction strength remains poorly understood. Here, we experimentally test whether and how neighbour speed modulates social interactions in schooling fish. Using an immersive open-loop virtual-reality system, we exposed freely swimming rummy-nose tetras Hemigrammus rhodostomus to a single virtual conspecific moving along circular trajectories at different controlled speeds. This approach isolates the effect of partner speed while preserving ecologically relevant sensory cues. Across all speeds, real fish reliably followed the virtual partner and adjusted their own speed accordingly. However, spatial positioning, perception angles and leader–follower configurations changed systematically with partner speed. To interpret these patterns, we combined the experiments with a data-driven three-dimensional model of fish interactions. Model-based reconstructions show that increasing neighbour speed weakens horizontal and vertical attraction while strengthening alignment and wall repulsion. These results demonstrate that fish dynamically tune the strength of their social interactions as a function of swimming speed, identifying speed as a key control parameter governing coordination in minimal groups and transitions between collective regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences is the property of Royal Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
Database: Engineering Source
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Header DbId: egs
DbLabel: Engineering Source
An: 194236684
AccessLevel: 6
PubType: Academic Journal
PubTypeId: academicJournal
PreciseRelevancyScore: 0
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Items – Name: Title
  Label: Title
  Group: Ti
  Data: Swimming speed of schooling fish controls social interaction strength in open-loop immersive virtual reality.
– Name: Author
  Label: Authors
  Group: Au
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Escobedo%2C+Ramón%22">Escobedo, Ramón</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2,3,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> escobedor@gmail.com</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Reynaud%2C+Justine%22">Reynaud, Justine</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> justine.reynaud@univ-tlse3.fr</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sanchez%2C+Stéphane%22">Sanchez, Stéphane</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> stephane.sanchez@irit.fr</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Sire%2C+Clément%22">Sire, Clément</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> clement.sire@utoulouse.fr</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Theraulaz%2C+Guy%22">Theraulaz, Guy</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> guy.theraulaz@univ-tlse3.fr</i>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Proceedings+of+the+Royal+Society+B%3A+Biological+Sciences%22">Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences</searchLink>. 6/3/2026, Vol. 293 Issue 2072, p1-10. 10p.
– Name: Subject
  Label: Subjects
  Group: Su
  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Fish+schooling%22">Fish schooling</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Virtual+reality%22">Virtual reality</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Statistical+models%22">Statistical models</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+interaction%22">Social interaction</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Synchronization%22">Synchronization</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Swarming+%28Zoology%29%22">Swarming (Zoology)</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
  Group: Ab
  Data: Collective motion in fish schools emerges from local social interactions, whose strength may vary with behavioural context. Swimming speed is known to influence manoeuvrability, spatial organization and information flow, yet its causal role in shaping social interaction strength remains poorly understood. Here, we experimentally test whether and how neighbour speed modulates social interactions in schooling fish. Using an immersive open-loop virtual-reality system, we exposed freely swimming rummy-nose tetras Hemigrammus rhodostomus to a single virtual conspecific moving along circular trajectories at different controlled speeds. This approach isolates the effect of partner speed while preserving ecologically relevant sensory cues. Across all speeds, real fish reliably followed the virtual partner and adjusted their own speed accordingly. However, spatial positioning, perception angles and leader–follower configurations changed systematically with partner speed. To interpret these patterns, we combined the experiments with a data-driven three-dimensional model of fish interactions. Model-based reconstructions show that increasing neighbour speed weakens horizontal and vertical attraction while strengthening alignment and wall repulsion. These results demonstrate that fish dynamically tune the strength of their social interactions as a function of swimming speed, identifying speed as a key control parameter governing coordination in minimal groups and transitions between collective regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
  Group: Ab
  Data: <i>Copyright of Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences is the property of Royal Society and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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RecordInfo BibRecord:
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1098/rspb.2026.0146
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
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        PageCount: 10
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      – SubjectFull: Fish schooling
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Virtual reality
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Statistical models
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Social interaction
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Synchronization
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Swarming (Zoology)
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Swimming speed of schooling fish controls social interaction strength in open-loop immersive virtual reality.
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            NameFull: Escobedo, Ramón
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            NameFull: Reynaud, Justine
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            NameFull: Sanchez, Stéphane
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            NameFull: Sire, Clément
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            – D: 03
              M: 06
              Text: 6/3/2026
              Type: published
              Y: 2026
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              Value: 293
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              Value: 2072
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            – TitleFull: Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
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