Abstract
Multi-agent control is a very promising area of robotics. In applications for which
it is difficult or impossible for humans to intervene, the utilization of multi-agent,
autonomous robot groups is indispensable. This thesis presents a novel approach to
reactive multi-agent control that is practical and elegant in its simplicity. The basic idea
upon which this approach is based is that a group of robots can cooperate to determine
the shortest path through a previously unmapped environment by virtue of redundant
sharing of simple data between multiple agents. The idea was implemented with two
robots. In simulation, it was tested with over sixty agents. The results clearly show that
the shortest path through various environments emerges as a result of redundant sharing
of information between agents. In addition, this approach exhibits safeguarding
techniques that reduce the risk to robot agents working in unknown and possibly
hazardous environments. Further, the simplicity of this approach makes implementation
very practical and easily expandable to reliably control a group comprised of many
agents.
| Original language | American English |
|---|---|
| Qualification | Ph.D. |
| Awarding Institution |
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| Supervisors/Advisors |
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| State | Published - May 2003 |
Keywords
- robotics
- autonomous robots
- multiple robot interaction
Disciplines
- Electrical and Computer Engineering