Collective robotics

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Increasingly, people are looking to multi-robot systems (MRS) for solutions to some of the challenges in remote (Moon or Mars) and dangerous environments (underwater or disaster zones) that can not be adequately addressed by single-robot systems. A MRS enjoys tremendous advantages over its single-robot counterpart due to its efficiency through parallel execution, its robustness through redundancy, and its versatility through spatial distribution and heterogeneity. The research described in this proposal will focus on developing decentralized control algorithms for a multi-robot system (MRS) through the examination of two important tasks: collective decision making and collective construction. Because centralized control algorithms for a MRS are known to be mathematically intractable, most of the current research is directed toward decentralized solutions. Fortunately, nature has provided us with both existence proof and specific algorithms to follow for various problems of interest on which to build decentralized MRS algorithms.  This proposal outlines the steps toward the development of two MRS algorithms: Collective Decision Making Algorithm (CDMA) - motivated by the nest relocation algorithm of an ant species - and Pheromone Assisted Collective Construction (PACC) inspired by the two basic mechanisms used by social insects in building their nests: stigmergy and pheromone.  The research activities will involve a number of graduate students.