Joint Detection and Identification for Scalable Control of Nanorobot Swarms under Harsh Communication Constraints

Fuente: arXiv
Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Labidi, Wafa, Boche, Holger, Deppe, Christian, Geitz, Marc
Format: Preprint
Published: 2026
Subjects:
Online Access:
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1866908921121210368
author Labidi, Wafa
Boche, Holger
Deppe, Christian
Geitz, Marc
author_facet Labidi, Wafa
Boche, Holger
Deppe, Christian
Geitz, Marc
contents The coordination of large populations of highly constrained devices, such as micro- and nanoscale agents in biomedical applications, poses fundamental challenges to classical communication paradigms. In scenarios such as targeted drug delivery, devices operate under severe limitations in energy, size, and communication capabilities, while requiring precise and selective activation within spatially localized regions. In this work, we propose the framework of Joint Detection and Identification (JDAI) as a system-level approach for scalable control under such constraints. The key idea is to shift from reliable message transmission to a control-oriented paradigm, in which devices locally decide whether a broadcast signal is relevant. This enables implicit addressing and subset activation without the need for explicit per-device communication. We demonstrate how message identification can be combined with sensing. This enables the realization of a closed-loop system that integrates detection, communication, and actuation. Using the example of targeted nanorobot therapy, we analyze the interplay between sensing resolution, communication constraints, and system dynamics. In particular, we show that while identification exhibits favorable asymptotic scaling, practical implementations are governed by finite blocklength effects, noise, and latency. The proposed framework complements existing physical-layer communication approaches, including molecular, electromagnetic, and acoustic techniques, by providing a control-layer abstraction for scalable subset selection. Overall, JDAI connects identification-theoretic principles with system-level design to control large, resource-limited environments.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2603_28412
institution arXiv
publishDate 2026
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Joint Detection and Identification for Scalable Control of Nanorobot Swarms under Harsh Communication Constraints
Labidi, Wafa
Boche, Holger
Deppe, Christian
Geitz, Marc
Information Theory
The coordination of large populations of highly constrained devices, such as micro- and nanoscale agents in biomedical applications, poses fundamental challenges to classical communication paradigms. In scenarios such as targeted drug delivery, devices operate under severe limitations in energy, size, and communication capabilities, while requiring precise and selective activation within spatially localized regions. In this work, we propose the framework of Joint Detection and Identification (JDAI) as a system-level approach for scalable control under such constraints. The key idea is to shift from reliable message transmission to a control-oriented paradigm, in which devices locally decide whether a broadcast signal is relevant. This enables implicit addressing and subset activation without the need for explicit per-device communication. We demonstrate how message identification can be combined with sensing. This enables the realization of a closed-loop system that integrates detection, communication, and actuation. Using the example of targeted nanorobot therapy, we analyze the interplay between sensing resolution, communication constraints, and system dynamics. In particular, we show that while identification exhibits favorable asymptotic scaling, practical implementations are governed by finite blocklength effects, noise, and latency. The proposed framework complements existing physical-layer communication approaches, including molecular, electromagnetic, and acoustic techniques, by providing a control-layer abstraction for scalable subset selection. Overall, JDAI connects identification-theoretic principles with system-level design to control large, resource-limited environments.
title Joint Detection and Identification for Scalable Control of Nanorobot Swarms under Harsh Communication Constraints
topic Information Theory
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2603.28412