A General Framework for Synchronizing a Team of Robots Under Communication Constraints
Publication Date
6-2017
Document Type
Article
Organizational Units
Daniel Felix Ritchie School of Engineering and Computer Science, Computer Science
Keywords
Robot kinematics, Synchronization, Trajectory, Robustness, Collision avoidance, Surveillance
Abstract
This paper addresses a synchronization problem that arises when a team of robots needs to communicate while repeatedly performing assigned tasks in a cooperative scenario. Each robot has a limited communication range and moves along a previously defined closed trajectory. When two robots are close enough, a communication link may be established, allowing the robots to exchange information. The goal is to schedule the motions such that the entire system can be synchronized for maximum information exchange; that is, every pair of neighbors always visit the feasible communication link at the same time. An algorithm for scheduling the team of robots in this scenario is proposed and a robust framework that assures the synchronization of a large team of robots is presented. Simulations, experiments, and computational results demonstrate the applicability of the algorithm. The approach allows the design of fault-tolerant systems that can be used for multiple tasks, such as surveillance, area exploration, and searching for targets in hazardous environments, among others.
Publication Statement
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Recommended Citation
Diaz-Banez, Jose-Miguel, et al. “A General Framework for Synchronizing a Team of Robots Under Communication Constraints.” IEEE Transactions on Robotics, vol. 33, no. 3, 2017, pp. 748–755. doi: 10.1109/tro.2017.2676123.