A multi-robot system for continuous area sweeping tasks

Ahmadi, Mohammad Mahdi; Stone, Peter

doi:10.1109/robot.2006.1641955

Cited by 85 publications

(62 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…The results showed that no patrol strategy was optimal for all the possible adversaries. Ahmadi et al (2006) addressed the problem of multi-robot repeated coverage of a grid-based target area in order to detect a set of events of interest. The frequency of the events occurrence in the environment can possibly be non-uniform.…”

Section: Adversarial Repeated Coveragementioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-robot repeated area coverage

2013

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We address the problem of repeated coverage of a target area, of any polygonal shape, by a team of robots having a limited visual range. Three distributed Clusterbased algorithms, and a method called Cyclic Coverage are introduced for the problem. The goal is to evaluate the performance of the repeated coverage algorithms under the effects of the variables: Environment Representation, and the Robots' Visual Range. A comprehensive set of performance metrics are considered, including the distance the robots travel, the frequency of visiting points in the target area, and the degree of balance in workload distribution among the robots. The Cyclic Coverage approach, used as a benchmark to compare the algorithms, produces optimal or near-optimal solutions for the single robot case under some criteria. The results can be used as a framework for choosing an appropriate combination of repeated coverage algorithm, environment representation, and the robots' visual range based on the particular scenario and the metric to be optimized.

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Section: Adversarial Repeated Coveragementioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-robot repeated area coverage

2013

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“…Previous work has offered several approaches to surveillance of areas [2], [10], [15], [17]. However key challenges in surveillance have been left open.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Multi-robot area patrol under frequency constraints

Elmaliach

Agmon

Kaminka

2009

Ann Math Artif Intell

134

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Abstract-This paper discusses the problem of generating patrol paths for a team of mobile robots inside a designated target area. Patrolling requires an area to be visited repeatedly by the robot(s) in order to monitor its current state. First, we present frequency optimization criteria used for evaluation of patrol algorithms. We then present a patrol algorithm that guarantees maximal uniform frequency, i.e., each point in the target area is covered at the same optimal frequency. This solution is based on finding a circular path that visits all points in the area, while taking into account terrain directionality and velocity constraints. Robots are positioned uniformly along this path, using a second algorithm. Moreover, the solution is guaranteed to be robust in the sense that uniform frequency of the patrol is achieved as long as at least one robot works properly.

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“…In previous work, we developed algorithms for multirobot surveillance under the assumption that each pair of robots could communicate directly [2]. This communication assumption enabled the robots to negotiate to achieve an efficient task division,…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For example, consider the problem of multirobot surveillance [1,2], in which a team of robots must collaboratively patrol a given area. If any two robots can directly communicate at all times, the robots can coordinate for efficient behavior.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order for the team to stay connected, it must be the case that every robot is connected to each other robot either directly or via two distinct paths that don't share any robots in common. We call this property biconnectivity: the removal of any one robot from the system does not disconnect the remaining robots from each other.In previous work, we developed algorithms for multirobot surveillance under the assumption that each pair of robots could communicate directly [2]. This communication assumption enabled the robots to negotiate to achieve an efficient task division,…”

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confidence: 99%

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A Distributed Biconnectivity Check

Ahmadi

Stone

Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems 7

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Summary. For many distributed autonomous robotic systems, it is important to maintain communication connectivity among the robots. That is, each robot must be able to communicate with each other robot, perhaps through a series of other robots. Ideally, this property should be robust to the removal of any single robot from the system. In this work, we define a property of a team's communication graph that ensures this property, called biconnectivity. We present a distributed algorithm to check if a team of robots is biconnected, prove its correctness, and analyze it theoretically. IntroductionMany applications of distributed autonomous robotic systems can benefit from, or even may require, the team of robots staying within communication connectivity. For example, consider the problem of multirobot surveillance [1,2], in which a team of robots must collaboratively patrol a given area. If any two robots can directly communicate at all times, the robots can coordinate for efficient behavior. This condition holds trivially in environments that are smaller than the robots' communication range. However in larger environments, the robots must actively maintain physical locations such that any two robots can communicate -possibly through a series of other robots. Otherwise, the robots may lose track of each others' activities and become miscoordinated. Furthermore, since robots are relatively unreliable and/or may need to change tasks (for example if a robot is suddenly called by a human user to perform some other task), in a stable multirobot surveillance system, if one of the robots leaves or crashes, the rest should still be able to communicate. Some examples of other tasks that could benefit from any pair of robots being able to communicate with each other, are space and underwater exploration, search and rescue, and cleaning robots.We say that robot R 1 is connected to robot R 2 if there is a series of robots, each within communication range of the previous, which can pass a message from R 1 to R 2 . In order for the team to stay connected, it must be the case that every robot is connected to each other robot either directly or via two distinct paths that don't share any robots in common. We call this property biconnectivity: the removal of any one robot from the system does not disconnect the remaining robots from each other.In previous work, we developed algorithms for multirobot surveillance under the assumption that each pair of robots could communicate directly [2]. This communication assumption enabled the robots to negotiate to achieve an efficient task division,

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A multi-robot system for continuous area sweeping tasks

Cited by 85 publications

References 7 publications

Multi-robot repeated area coverage

Multi-robot repeated area coverage

Multi-robot area patrol under frequency constraints

A Distributed Biconnectivity Check

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