scholarly journals Multi-Robot Formation Control via a Real-Time Drawing Interface

2013 ◽  
pp. 175-189 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandro Hauri ◽  
Javier Alonso-Mora ◽  
Andreas Breitenmoser ◽  
Roland Siegwart ◽  
Paul Beardsley
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Formation Control ◽  
Multi Robot

scholarly journals Variable formation control of multiple robots via VRc and formation switching to accommodate large heading changes by leader robot

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 168781401985733
Author(s):  
Sung-Gil Wee ◽  
Yanyan Dai ◽  
Tae Hun Kang ◽  
Suk-Gyu Lee
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Collision Avoidance ◽  
Formation Control ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Optimal Size ◽  
Multiple Robots ◽  
Flexible Control ◽  
Formation Pattern ◽  
Multi Robot

This article describes a novel multi-robot formation control based on a switching technique that allows follower robots to maintain formation when the leader robot’s direction changes rapidly or unexpectedly. The formation pattern is determined using Virtual Robot’s Center of the multi-robot formation. To avoid collision, the formation of robots reformed in optimal size by estimating the distance between the robot and an obstacle in real time. When the leader robot suddenly changes its direction, waypoints of follower robots are switched and the formation is quickly reconstructed. This prevents follower robots from colliding with each other and reduces their radius of movement and allows them to follow the leader robot at higher speed. The proposed method which is inherently a flexible control of multi-robot formation guarantees collision avoidance and prevents sudden changes in waypoints of the system by gradually changing its size. The validity of the proposed method is demonstrated via simulation and experimental results.

scholarly journals Reinforcement-Learning-Based Asynchronous Formation Control Scheme for Multiple Unmanned Surface Vehicles

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 546
Author(s):  
Jiajia Xie ◽  
Rui Zhou ◽  
Yuan Liu ◽  
Jun Luo ◽  
Shaorong Xie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Reinforcement Learning ◽  
Formation Control ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
Gradient Algorithm ◽  
Robot System ◽  
Physical Relationship ◽  
Unmanned Surface Vehicles ◽  
Main Challenge ◽  
Control Scheme ◽  
Multi Robot

The high performance and efficiency of multiple unmanned surface vehicles (multi-USV) promote the further civilian and military applications of coordinated USV. As the basis of multiple USVs’ cooperative work, considerable attention has been spent on developing the decentralized formation control of the USV swarm. Formation control of multiple USV belongs to the geometric problems of a multi-robot system. The main challenge is the way to generate and maintain the formation of a multi-robot system. The rapid development of reinforcement learning provides us with a new solution to deal with these problems. In this paper, we introduce a decentralized structure of the multi-USV system and employ reinforcement learning to deal with the formation control of a multi-USV system in a leader–follower topology. Therefore, we propose an asynchronous decentralized formation control scheme based on reinforcement learning for multiple USVs. First, a simplified USV model is established. Simultaneously, the formation shape model is built to provide formation parameters and to describe the physical relationship between USVs. Second, the advantage deep deterministic policy gradient algorithm (ADDPG) is proposed. Third, formation generation policies and formation maintenance policies based on the ADDPG are proposed to form and maintain the given geometry structure of the team of USVs during movement. Moreover, three new reward functions are designed and utilized to promote policy learning. Finally, various experiments are conducted to validate the performance of the proposed formation control scheme. Simulation results and contrast experiments demonstrate the efficiency and stability of the formation control scheme.

scholarly journals Research Progress on Synergistic Technologies of Agricultural Multi-Robots

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 1448
Author(s):  
Wenju Mao ◽  
Zhijie Liu ◽  
Heng Liu ◽  
Fuzeng Yang ◽  
Meirong Wang
Keyword(s):  
Path Planning ◽  
Formation Control ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Hybrid Architecture ◽  
Labor Costs ◽  
Robot System ◽  
System Architectures ◽  
Research Results ◽  
Robot Systems ◽  
Multi Robot

Multi-robots have shown good application prospects in agricultural production. Studying the synergistic technologies of agricultural multi-robots can not only improve the efficiency of the overall robot system and meet the needs of precision farming but also solve the problems of decreasing effective labor supply and increasing labor costs in agriculture. Therefore, starting from the point of view of an agricultural multiple robot system architectures, this paper reviews the representative research results of five synergistic technologies of agricultural multi-robots in recent years, namely, environment perception, task allocation, path planning, formation control, and communication, and summarizes the technological progress and development characteristics of these five technologies. Finally, because of these development characteristics, it is shown that the trends and research focus for agricultural multi-robots are to optimize the existing technologies and apply them to a variety of agricultural multi-robots, such as building a hybrid architecture of multi-robot systems, SLAM (simultaneous localization and mapping), cooperation learning of robots, hybrid path planning and formation reconstruction. While synergistic technologies of agricultural multi-robots are extremely challenging in production, in combination with previous research results for real agricultural multi-robots and social development demand, we conclude that it is realistic to expect automated multi-robot systems in the future.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document