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Optimization-based formation of autonomous mobile robots

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  05 August 2010

Huan Zhang  and
Pubudu N. Pathirana
Huan Zhang
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Electronic Engineering, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia E-mail: Hzhang5@unimelb.edu.au
Pubudu N. Pathirana*
Affiliation:
School of Engineering and Information Technology, Deakin University, Pigdons Road, Geelong, VIC 3217, Australia
*
*Corresponding author. E-mail: Pubudu.Pathirana@deakin.edu.au
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Summary

The formation of autonomous mobile robots to an arbitrary geometric pattern in a distributed fashion is a fundamental problem in formation control. This paper presents a new asynchronous, memoryless (oblivious) algorithm to the formation problem via distributed optimization techniques. The optimization minimizes an appropriately defined difference function between the current robot distribution and the target geometric pattern. The optimization processes are performed independently by individual robots in their local coordinate systems. A movement strategy derived from the results of the distributed optimizations guarantees that every movement makes the current robot configuration approaches the target geometric pattern until the final pattern is reached.

Keywords

Swarm roboticsMobile robotsMulti-robot systemsMotion planningNavigation
Type
Articles
Information
Robotica , Volume 29 , Issue 4 , July 2011 , pp. 515 - 525
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2010

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