In the field of mobile robotics, the study of multi-robot systems (MRSs) has grown significantly in size and importance in recent years. Having made great progress in the development of the basic problems concerning single-robot control, many researchers shifted their focus to the study of multi-robot coordination. This paper presents a systematic survey and analysis of the existing literature on coordination, especially in multiple mobile robot systems (MMRSs). A series of related problems have been reviewed, which include a communication mechanism, a planning strategy and a decision-making structure. A brief conclusion and further research perspectives are given at the end of the paper.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.5772/57313

A Survey and Analysis of Multi-Robot Coordination

We review a range of techniques related to navigation of unmanned vehicles through unknown environments with obstacles, especially those that rigorously ensure collision avoidance (given certain assumptions about the system). This topic continues to be an active area of research, and we highlight some directions in which available approaches may be improved. The paper discusses models of the sensors and vehicle kinematics, assumptions about the environment, and performance criteria. Methods applicable to stationary obstacles, moving obstacles and multiple vehicles scenarios are all reviewed. In preference to global approaches based on full knowledge of the environment, particular attention is given to reactive methods based on local sensory data, with a special focus on recently proposed navigation laws based on model predictive and sliding mode control.

/pdf/algorithms-for-collision-free-navigation-of-mobile-robots-in-1s1ksc76if.pdf

Algorithms for collision-free navigation of mobile robots in complex cluttered environments: a survey

This paper presents an algorithm that generates collision-free trajectories in three dimensions for multiple vehicles within seconds. The problem is cast as a non-convex optimization problem, which is iteratively solved using sequential convex programming that approximates non-convex constraints by using convex ones. The method generates trajectories that account for simple dynamics constraints and is thus independent of the vehicle's type. An extensive a posteriori vehicle-specific feasibility check is included in the algorithm. The algorithm is applied to a quadrocopter fleet. Experimental results are shown.

/pdf/generation-of-collision-free-trajectories-for-a-quadrocopter-14dogn4b0h.pdf

Generation of collision-free trajectories for a quadrocopter fleet: A sequential convex programming approach

This paper introduces swarm user interfaces, a new class of human-computer interfaces comprised of many autonomous robots that handle both display and interaction. We describe the design of Zooids, an open-source open-hardware platform for developing tabletop swarm interfaces. The platform consists of a collection of custom-designed wheeled micro robots each 2.6 cm in diameter, a radio base-station, a high-speed DLP structured light projector for optical tracking, and a software framework for application development and control. We illustrate the potential of tabletop swarm user interfaces through a set of application scenarios developed with Zooids, and discuss general design considerations unique to swarm user interfaces.

/pdf/zooids-building-blocks-for-swarm-user-interfaces-jvbpi9mgn3.pdf

Zooids: Building Blocks for Swarm User Interfaces

We present a constrained optimization method for multi-robot formation control in dynamic environments, where the robots adjust the parameters of the formation, such as size and three-dimensional o...

/pdf/multi-robot-formation-control-and-object-transport-in-2r23lglwbb.pdf

Multi-robot formation control and object transport in dynamic environments via constrained optimization

/pdf/reciprocal-collision-avoidance-for-multiple-car-like-robots-xtmyfslvy6.pdf

Alonso-Mora

Papers

Reciprocal collision avoidance for multiple car-like robots

Multi-robot system for artistic pattern formation

Object and animation display with multiple aerial vehicles