Efficient Simulation Environment of Wireless Radio Communications in MEMS Modular Robots

Abstract

Abstract-Modular robots needs networking for coordination and it is particularly true for MEMS microrobots. A promising communication technology is nanowireless networking which could be integrated directly into MEMS microrobots, in our case, the catoms of the Claytronics project. A first step towards this objective is to design a wireless simulator able to deal with modular robots. This simulator called Vouivre is integrated in DPRSim a modular robot simulator developed by Intel Research. This paper describes Vouivre and its integration in DPRSim which is an interesting case of integrating different timelines in one simulator. Experiments validate our design and show the interest of using wireless communication in modular robots.

New Applications for MEMS Modular Robots Using Wireless Communications

“…The objective of this paper is to present the progresses made in the design of Vouivre [9], a wireless communication module within the Dynamic Physical Rendering Simulator (DPRSim) [10], [11].…”

Large scale MEMS robots cooperative map building based on realistic simulation of nano-wireless communications

“…But, expanding communication range through wireless links can significantly broaden the scope of possible applications. In previous works, we investigated such possibilities, first adding standard CSMA/CA (Carrier Sense Multiple Access with Collision Avoidance) radio to the Claytronics simulation environment [4] and then investigating more specific communications means, through nano-wireless (nano-antennas, terahertz band and pulse based modulation fitting this environment), as seen in [5,6]. Those previous works built the necessary foundations for more complex applications.…”

Parameter study and characterization of wireless nanonetworks through simulation

“…By actuating their features, catoms are able to move around their direct neighbors similarly as a stepper motor but there are also able to communicate. Wireless communications network would enhance the way catoms are communicating [3], improving the communication range and allowing easy way of broadcasting information.…”

“…Vouivre [3] is a C++ network simulation library we developed as both an extension for DPRSim and as a standalone simulator. Whereas DPRSim makes use of a time-slicing approach (time is advancing step by step, and each duration of a step is constant), Vouivre is based on the discrete-event paradigm more commonly encountered in other network simulators like NS3 [8], OMNeT++ [9] or OPNET [10] to cite a few.…”

“…There have been analytical work proposed for defining and characterizing this new type of communication channel [1] which has led to the definition of a pulse-based communication scheme named Time-Spread OnOff Keying (TS-OOK) [2]. We have proposed a simulator called Vouivre [3], [4] which is able to simulate an EM wireless nanonetwork. Vouivre is plugged with DPRSim [5], a micro-robot simulator and will soon be plugged with VisibleSim [6], the successor of DPRSim.…”