Problem statement
Traditional robotics focuses on individual tasks, but there’s a need for systems with
swarms of autonomous robots collaborating on complex objectives. The challenge is to
design a system that simulates or controls a swarm with advanced algorithms for
coordination, communication, and task execution, addressing issues of scalability,
adaptability, and effective collaboration in dynamic environments.
Abstract
This project aims to create an Autonomous Swarm Robotics system, where a group of
robots collaborates using advanced algorithms for coordination and communication.
The system will facilitate autonomous decision-making, efficient task distribution, and
adaptive behavior in response to dynamic changes. It explores swarm robotics for
scalable solutions in applications like search and rescue, environmental monitoring, and
industrial automation.
Outcome
● Swarm Dynamics Simulation:
Develop a realistic simulation modeling the dynamics of a swarm, considering robot
mobility, sensor capabilities, and environmental obstacles.
● Adaptive Coordination Algorithms:
Implement advanced algorithms for coordination, allowing the swarm to adapt
dynamically for effective collaboration and task completion.
● Decentralized Decision-Making:
Design a decentralized decision-making system, enabling each robot to autonomously
decide based on local information for robustness and scalability.
● Task Allocation and Assignment:
Develop algorithms for efficient task allocation and assignment within the swarm,
optimizing overall performance considering individual robot capabilities.
● Dynamic Environment Response:
Enable the swarm to respond effectively to dynamic environmental changes like
obstacles, shifting priorities, or new objectives.
● Scalability and Robustness:
Ensure scalability for efficient operation with an increasing number of robots and focus
on robustness to handle faults, failures, or variations in individual robot performance.
Reference
This paper provides an overview of the SWARM-BOTS project, a robotics project sponsored by the Future and Emerging Technologies program of the European Commission (IST-2000-31010). We describe the s-bot, a small autonomous robot with self-assembling capabilities that we designed and built within the project. Then we illustrate the cooperative object transport scenario that we chose to use as a test-bed for our robots. Last, we report on results of experiments in which a group of s-bots perform a variety of tasks within the scenario which may require self-assembling, physical cooperation and coordination.
- G. Baldassarre, S. Nolfi, and D. Parisi. Evolution of collective behaviour in a team of physically linked robots. In R. Günther, A. Guillot, and J.-A. Meyer, editors, Proceedings of the Second European Workshop on Evolutionary Robotics (EvoWorkshops2003: EvoROB), Lecture Notes in Computer Science, pages 581-592. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Germany, 2003.
- E. Bonabeau, M. Dorigo, and G. Theraulaz. Swarm Intelligence: From Natural to Artificial Systems. Oxford University Press, New York, NY, 1999.
- A. Castano, W.-M. Shen, and P. Will. CONRO: Towards deployable robots with inter-robot metamorphic capabilities. Autonomous Robots, 8:309-324, July 2000.
- M. Dorigo, V. Trianni, E. Sahin, R. Groß, T. H. Labella, G. Baldassarre, S. Nolfi, J.-L. Deneubourg, F. Mondada, D. Floreano, and L. M. Gambardella. Evolving self-organizing behaviors for a swarm-bot Autonomous Robots, 17(2-3):223-245, 2004.
- T. Fukuda and T. Ueyama. Cellular Robotics and Micro Robotic Systems. World Scientific Publishing, London, UK, 1994.
https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/1501622/