CPS: Medium: Collaborative Research: Geometric Distributed Algorithms for Multi-Robot Coordination and Control

本研究的目的是为多机器人系统开发新的计算模型。算法的执行在通信、计算和运动的循环中进行。计算与系统的物理结构有着千丝万缕的联系。目前的模型不能在一个既可管理又准确的抽象层次上描述多机器人系统。该项目将结合分布式算法、计算几何和控制理论的思想，为包含系统物理特性的多机器人系统设计新的模型。该方法侧重于在执行指定任务时探索未知环境的高级问题和保持网络连通性的子问题。要研究的关键问题将包括处理持续离散故障的算法技术，以及理解与故障率、几何假设和物理参数（如机器人移动性和通信带宽）相关的系统能力的方法。将为错误率和机器人机动性制定新的指标。智能价值来自于分布式算法、计算几何和控制理论技术的结合，以开发和分析多机器人系统的算法。该项目将开发一类新的算法和技术来进行严格的分析，不仅在理想条件下，而且在各种错误假设下。该项目将在三种不同的多机器人系统上对理论观点进行实证检验。更广泛的影响将包括机器人协调的新算法，以及对不同硬件平台能力的严格理解。机器人是一个很好的推广工具，并提供了理论在行动中的具体例子。

The objective of this research is to develop new models of computation for multi-robot systems. Algorithm execution proceeds in a cycle of communication, computation, and motion. Computation is inextricably linked to the physical configuration of the system. Current models cannot describe multi-robot systems at a level of abstraction that is both manageable and accurate. This project will combine ideas from distributed algorithms, computational geometry, and control theory to design new models for multi-robot systems that incorporate physical properties of the systems. The approach is to focus on the high-level problem of exploring an unknown environment while performing designated tasks, and the sub-problem of maintaining network connectivity. Key issues to be studied will include algorithmic techniques for handling ongoing discrete failures, and ways of understanding system capabilities as related to failure rates, geometric assumptions and physical parameters such as robot mobility and communication bandwidth. New metrics will be developed for error rates and robot mobility.Intellectual merit arises from the combination of techniques from distributed algorithms, computational geometry, and control theory to develop and analyze algorithms for multi-robot systems. The project will develop a new class of algorithms and techniques for their rigorous analysis, not only under ideal conditions, but under a variety of error assumptions. The project will test theoretical ideas empirically, on three different multi-robot systems.Broader impacts will include new algorithms for robot coordination, and rigorous understanding of the capabilities of different hardware platforms. Robots are an excellent outreach tool, and provide concrete examples of theory in action.