The Robotics Institute

RI | Centers | CFR | Seminar

Foundations of Robotics Seminar, October 20, 2009
Time and Place | Seminar Abstract



Synthesis of Controllers to Create, Maintain and Reconfigure Robot Formations with Communication Constraints

Nora Ayanian
GRASP Lab

UPenn
 

 

Time and Place

NSH 1507
Talk 4:30 pm

Abstract

 

Using multiple robots in place of a single complex robot to accomplish a task has many benefits, including simplified system repair, less down time, and lower cost. Combining groups of these multi-robot systems allows addressing multiple subtasks in parallel, reducing the time it takes to address many problems, such as search and rescue and automated warehouse systems. I will address the synthesis of controllers for groups of multi-robot systems that enable them to automatically create desired labeled formations and maintain those formations while traversing an environment with obstacles. The robots have constraints on communication, both within and across groups. In a group, individuals are capable of close coordination via high bandwidth communication, since they are within a specified distance of the other robots. Coordination across groups must be limited because communication links can be sporadic or more expensive. I will describe a method for developing feedback controllers for reconfiguring groups of robots that is entirely automatic, and provably correct by construction. This work provides a framework with which navigation of multiple groups in environments with obstacles is possible, and enables scaling to many groups of robots.

 

Bio

 

 


The Robotics Institute is part of the School of Computer Science, Carnegie Mellon University.