Multi-robot exploration and mapping studies have demonstrated that it is often more efficient to explore unknown areas in parallel rather than with a single agent. However, the question of how to integrate individual maps into a consistent global map remains an open research area. This problem, known as map merging, comprises the establishment of a frame of reference for multiple mobile robots, the identification of regions of map overlap, and the integration of individual maps to produce a global result. In this work, we build a hybrid map which integrates occupancy grid and feature data to solve this problem. This integrated representation permits fast and effective map merging. Experimental results are presented that demonstrate algorithm performance in a realistic scenario.

Cooperative mobile robots have recently been gaining importance within the field of robotics. It's been proven that collaborative robots can do tasks in a faster and more reliable manner than a single robot can. Additionally, recent advances in distributed coordination algorithms have dramatically improved the feasibility and suitability of cooperative approaches. This has lead researchers to develop Inter-robot communication frameworks. While several frameworks have been introduced, one of the most common is the Service-Oriented Architecture (SOA). However, the suitability of SOA for collaborative robotic communication has not been fully evaluated. In this paper we evaluate the SOA from an overhead perspective against non service-based architectures in a wireless environment. Our evaluation is based on performance suitability, which is determined by measuring throughput and delay for different numbers of mobile robots sharing real time data.