Application of MCDM Methods for a Group of Nonholonomic Mobile Robots to Determine the Best Route and the Most Suitable Robot to the Given Task

Abstract

In this study, a fire-fighting scenario in an office environment wherein three different nonholonomic differential-drive mobile robots are used is considered as a case study. The 2D configuration space of the office environment is divided into grid cells by using the method of "Occupancy Grid Map" such that each grid cell is associated with each interrelated node. Each robot constructs a reachability three by using these nodes and Breadth-First Search (BFS) algorithm. The back-tracking algorithm is used to obtain the finite solution set of paths from the motion planning. The set of alternatives is constructed by randomly selecting routes from the finite solution set of paths. Each robot determines its own best route by applying Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methods such that "Elimination et Choix Traduisant la Realite (ELECTRE I)" and "Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS)". Criteria for the path selection is weighted by applying the method of "Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP)". Then, each robot except the leader robot sends its best path-info to the leader so that the leader robot determines the most suitable robot that conforms to the fire-fighting task by using AHP. To analyze the effect of criteria's weights on the alternatives and perform sensitivity-graphs, Expert Choice 11 software is used. The robot determined by the leader executes the task by tracking its own best path.