Enhancing the Cooperative Transport of Multiple Objects

Abstract

Abstract. In this paper we present an approach to the cooperative transport of multiple objects in swarm robotics. The approach is motivated by the observation that the performance of cooperative transport in insect colonies as well as in groups of robots grows in a super linear way with the number of individuals participating in the transport. The transport relies on a cart in which multiple objects are collected and stored before being moved to destination. The cart is carried by a group of robot that would be otherwise allocated to the transport of single objects. The cart is endowed with computational and communication abilities that allow it to cooperate with the transporting robots. This research is carried out within the framework of the Swarmanoid project and aims at enhancing the transport capabilities of the robot swarms developed in this project.

An Introduction to Swarm Robotics

“…In [61], authors discuss and propose the collective transport of objects by collecting them and storing them for later transport. e robots of the swarm would have two different tasks: collecting the objects and placing them in a cart; and collectively move the cart carrying objects.…”

Transporte Cooperativo De Objetos Con Una Plataforma Móvil en Un Entorno Estructurado

“…En el marco del proyecto Swarmanoid [25], [26] Decugniere et al [27] presentó un enfoque para el transporte cooperativo de múltiples objetos por un sistema de enjambre robótico con el fin de aumentar su capacidad de carga inspirado por las observaciones hechas al transporte de alimentos en colonias de insectos. Su propuesta radica en la implementación de un robot que actúa como un vehículo de carga masiva al que denomino cart-bot en el cual se apilaba uno a uno los objetos para luego ser llevado por otros…”