Applying MAPP Algorithm for Cooperative Path Finding in Urban Environments

The paper considers the problem of planning a set of non-conflict trajectories for the coalition of intelligent agents (mobile robots). Two divergent approaches, e.g. centralized and decentralized, are surveyed and analyzed. Decentralized planner - MAPP is described and applied to the task of finding trajectories for dozens UAVs performing nap-of-the-earth flight in urban environments. Results of the experimental studies provide an opportunity to claim that MAPP is a highly efficient planner for solving considered types of tasks

Directed Exploration using a Modified Distance Transform

Mobile robots operating in unknown environments need to build maps. To do so they must have an exploration algorithm to plan a path. This algorithm should guarantee that the whole of the environment, or at least some designated area, will be mapped. The path should also be optimal in some sense and not simply a "random walk" which is clearly inefficient. When multiple robots are involved, the algorithm also needs to take advantage of the fact that the robots can share the task. In this paper we discuss a modification to the well-known distance transform that satisfies these requirements

Clustering-Based Robot Navigation and Control

In robotics, it is essential to model and understand the topologies of configuration spaces in order to design provably correct motion planners. The common practice in motion planning for modelling configuration spaces requires either a global, explicit representation of a configuration space in terms of standard geometric and topological models, or an asymptotically dense collection of sample configurations connected by simple paths. In this short note, we present an overview of our recent results that utilize clustering for closing the gap between these two complementary approaches. Traditionally an unsupervised learning method, clustering offers automated tools to discover hidden intrinsic structures in generally complex-shaped and high-dimensional configuration spaces of robotic systems. We demonstrate some potential applications of such clustering tools to the problem of feedback motion planning and control. In particular, we briefly present our use of hierarchical clustering for provably correct, computationally efficient coordinated multirobot motion design, and we briefly describe how robot-centric Voronoi diagrams can be used for provably correct safe robot navigation in forest-like cluttered environments, and for provably correct collision-free coverage and congestion control of heterogeneous disk-shaped robots.For more information: Kod*la

Optimized Graph Search Algorithms for Exploration with Mobile Robot

Graph search algorithms and shortest path algorithms, designed to allow real mobile robots to search unknown environments, are typically run in a hybrid manner, which results in the fast exploration of an entire environment using the shortest path. In this study, a mobile robot explored an unknown environment using separate depth-first search (DFS)  and breadth-first search (BFS) algorithms. Afterward, developed DFS + Dijkstra and BFS + Dijkstra algorithms were run for the same environment. It was observed that the newly developed hybrid algorithm performed the identification using less distance. In experimental studies with real robots, progression with DFS for the first-time discovery of an unknown environment is very efficient for detecting boundaries. After finding the last point with DFS, the shortest route was found with Dijkstra for the robot to reach the previous node. In defining a robot that works in a real environment using DFS algorithm for movement in unknown environments and Dijkstra algorithm in returning, time and path are shortened. The same situation was tested with BFS and the results were examined. However, DFS + Dijkstra was found to be the best algorithm in field scanning with real robots. With the hybrid algorithm developed, it is possible to scan the area with real autonomous robots in a shorter time. In this study, field scanning was optimized using hybrid algorithms known

An Optimal Algorithm to Solve the Combined Task Allocation and Path Finding Problem

We consider multi-agent transport task problems where, e.g. in a factory setting, items have to be delivered from a given start to a goal pose while the delivering robots need to avoid collisions with each other on the floor. We introduce a Task Conflict-Based Search (TCBS) Algorithm to solve the combined delivery task allocation and multi-agent path planning problem optimally. The problem is known to be NP-hard and the optimal solver cannot scale. However, we introduce it as a baseline to evaluate the sub-optimality of other approaches. We show experimental results that compare our solver with different sub-optimal ones in terms of regret