Introduction: Collective dynamics of mechanical oscillators and beyond.

This focus issue presents a collection of research papers from a broad spectrum of topics related to the modeling, analysis, and control of mechanical oscillators and beyond. Examples covered in this focus issue range from bridges and mechanical pendula to self-organizing networks of dynamic agents, with application to robotics and animal grouping. This focus issue brings together applied mathematicians, physicists, and engineers to address open questions on various theoretical and experimental aspects of collective dynamics phenomena and their control.