Cooperative coevolution of morphologically heterogeneous robots

Morphologically heterogeneous multirobot teams have shown significant potential in many applications. While cooperative coevolutionary algorithms can be used for synthesising controllers for heterogeneous multirobot systems, they have been almost exclusively applied to morphologically homogeneous systems. In this paper, we investigate if and how cooperative coevolutionary algorithms can be used to evolve behavioural control for a morphologically heterogeneous multirobot system. Our experiments rely on a simulated task, where a ground robot with a simple sensor-actuator configuration must cooperate tightly with a more complex aerial robot to find and collect items in the environment. We first show how differences in the number and complexity of skills each robot has to learn can impair the effectiveness of cooperative coevolution. We then show how coevolution’s effectiveness can be improved using incremental evolution or novelty-driven coevolution. Despite its limitations, we show that coevolution is a viable approach for synthesising control for morphologically heterogeneous systems.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A Survey and Analysis of Cooperative Multi-Agent Robot Systems: Challenges and Directions

Research in the area of cooperative multi-agent robot systems has received wide attention among researchers in recent years. The main concern is to find the effective coordination among autonomous agents to perform the task in order to achieve a high quality of overall performance. Therefore, this paper reviewed various selected literatures primarily from recent conference proceedings and journals related to cooperation and coordination of multi-agent robot systems (MARS). The problems, issues, and directions of MARS research have been investigated in the literature reviews. Three main elements of MARS which are the type of agents, control architectures, and communications were discussed thoroughly in the beginning of this paper. A series of problems together with the issues were analyzed and reviewed, which included centralized and decentralized control, consensus, containment, formation, task allocation, intelligences, optimization and communications of multi-agent robots. Since the research in the field of multi-agent robot research is expanding, some issues and future challenges in MARS are recalled, discussed and clarified with future directions. Finally, the paper is concluded with some recommendations with respect to multi-agent systems

FODEFU : formaciones defensivas para fútbol robótico

En los sistemas multiagentes se necesita que los agentes tengan dos características, que actúen de manera autónoma y de manera cooperativa para cumplir las metas del sistema. En este documento se presenta una nueva implementación para el caso de estudio del equipo de fútbol robótico Bochica de la Pontificia universidad Javeriana. En esta implementación se encuentran diseñadas nuevas formaciones defensivas con el fin de mejorar el orden y la estructura de juego del equipo y también nuevos roles para los agentes con el fin de mejorar la autonomía y la toma de decisiones por parte de los agentes en diferentes situaciones de juego.Ingeniero (a) de SistemasPregrad

Decentralized Autonomous Navigation Strategies for Multi-Robot Search and Rescue

In this report, we try to improve the performance of existing approaches for search operations in multi-robot context. We propose three novel algorithms that are using a triangular grid pattern, i.e., robots certainly go through the vertices of a triangular grid during the search procedure. The main advantage of using a triangular grid pattern is that it is asymptotically optimal in terms of the minimum number of robots required for the complete coverage of an arbitrary bounded area. We use a new topological map which is made and shared by robots during the search operation. We consider an area that is unknown to the robots a priori with an arbitrary shape, containing some obstacles. Unlike many current heuristic algorithms, we give mathematically proofs of convergence of the algorithms. The computer simulation results for the proposed algorithms are presented using a simulator of real robots and environment. We evaluate the performance of the algorithms via experiments with real robots. We compare the performance of our own algorithms with three existing algorithms from other researchers. The results demonstrate the merits of our proposed solution. A further study on formation building with obstacle avoidance for a team of mobile robots is presented in this report. We propose a decentralized formation building with obstacle avoidance algorithm for a group of mobile robots to move in a defined geometric configuration. Furthermore, we consider a more complicated formation problem with a group of anonymous robots; these robots are not aware of their position in the final configuration and need to reach a consensus during the formation process. We propose a randomized algorithm for the anonymous robots that achieves the convergence to a desired configuration with probability 1. We also propose a novel obstacle avoidance rule, used in the formation building algorithm.Comment: arXiv admin note: substantial text overlap with arXiv:1402.5188 by other author

Behavior Classification, Security, and Consensus in Societies of Robots

This thesis addresses some fundamental issues toward the realization of "societies" of robots. This objective requires dealing with large numbers of heterogenous autonomous systems, differing in their bodies, sensing and intelligence, that are made to coexist, communicate, learn and classify, and compete fairly, while achieving their individual goals. First, as in human or animal societies, robots must be able to perform cooperative "behaviors" that involve coordination of their actions, based on their own goals, proprioceptive sensing, and information they can receive from other neighboring robots. An effective way to successfully achieve cooperation is obtained by requiring that robots share a set of decentralized motion "rules" involving only locally available data. A first contribution of the thesis consists in showing how these behaviors can be nicely described by a suitable hybrid formalism, including the heterogenous dynamics of every robots and the above mentioned rules that are based on events. A second contribution deals with the problem of classifying a set of robotic agents, based on their dynamics or the interaction protocols they obeys, as belonging to different "species". Various procedures are proposed allowing the construction of a distributed classification system, based on a decentralized identification mechanism, by which every agent classifies its neighbors using only locally available information. By using this mechanism, members of the society can reach a consensus on the environment and on the integrity of the other neighboring robots, so as to improve the overall security of the society. This objective involves the study of convergence of information that is not represented by real numbers, as often in the literature, rather by sets. The dynamics of the evolution of information across a number of robots is described by set-valued iterative maps. While the study of convergence of set-valued iterative maps is highly complex in general, this thesis focuses on Boolean maps, which are comprised of arbitrary combinations of unions, intersections, and complements of sets. Through the development of an industrial robotic society, it is finally shown how the proposed technique applies to a real and commercially relevant case-study. This society sets the basis for a full-fledged factory of the future, where the different and heterogeneous agents operate and interact using a blend of autonomous skills, social rules, and central coordination

A Complexity-Based Approach to Intra-Organizational Team Selection

Early studies recognized the significance of team's work capacity and suggested the selection of team members based on individual skills and performance in alignment with task characteristics. The equitable team selection method, for example, assigns people to different tasks with even skill distributions for the best overall performance. Recent advancement in organization science also identifies the importance of contextual skills. However, work teams are complex adaptive systems with interdependence between workers and social environment, and exhibit surprising, nonlinear behavior. Optimizing individual stages without taking organizational complexity into account is unlikely to yield a high performing new combination of teams. The objectives of this study can be stated as: a) Utilizing complex system theory to better understand the processes of team selection including forming teams with considering worker's interdependence and replacing the unsuitable members through a time frame; b) Comparing different team selection methods, including random selection, equity method, using knowledge of interdependence in different economic conditions through simulation; c) Comparing different policies of replacing members of teams. This study utilizes a computational model to understand the complexity of project team selection and to examine how diversity of capability and interdependence between workers to effect team performance in different economic conditions. The NK model, a widely used theory for complex systems is utilized here to illustrate the worker's interdependence and fed into an Agent-Based Model. This study uses a small design firm as a case implementation to examine the performance of a variety of team selection approaches and replacement policies. Project data, task assignment, and individual and team performance information were collected for the period of 2009-2011. The simulation results show that while the equity selection method can increase the diversity of capabilities of teams, the net performance is often worse than optimizing worker interdependencies. This study suggests that managers should protect their higher-performing workers with minimal interdependence disruption when they considered team selection. Thus taking the advantages and disadvantages of all three policies into account, transferring low contributors or least supported members are recommended to be enacted before hiring new workers to avoid this last policy's especially large additional costs

Trajectory solutions for a game-playing robot using nonprehensile manipulation methods and machine vision

The need for autonomous systems designed to play games, both strategy-based and physical, comes from the quest to model human behaviour under tough and competitive environments that require human skill at its best. In the last two decades, and especially after the 1996 defeat of the world chess champion by a chess-playing computer, physical games have been receiving greater attention. Robocup TM, i.e. robotic football, is a well-known example, with the participation of thousands of researchers all over the world. The robots created to play snooker/pool/billiards are placed in this context. Snooker, as well as being a game of strategy, also requires accurate physical manipulation skills from the player, and these two aspects qualify snooker as a potential game for autonomous system development research. Although research into playing strategy in snooker has made considerable progress using various artificial intelligence methods, the physical manipulation part of the game is not fully addressed by the robots created so far. This thesis looks at the different ball manipulation options snooker players use, like the shots that impart spin to the ball in order to accurately position the balls on the table, by trying to predict the ball trajectories under the action of various dynamic phenomena, such as impacts. A 3-degree of freedom robot, which can manipulate the snooker cue on a par with humans, at high velocities, using a servomotor, and position the snooker cue on the ball accurately with the help of a stepper drive, is designed and fabricated. [Continues.

Système autonome de sécurité lors de la préparation d'un repas pour des personnes cognitivement déficientes dans un habitat intelligent pour la santé

Dans les pays développés tels que le Canada ou la France, la population est vieillissante et le nombre de personnes atteintes de déficiences cognitives augmente en conséquence. Ces troubles ont des conséquences sur les activités de la vie quotidienne pour les personnes qui en souffrent. Selon l’autonomie de ces personnes et la sévérité de leur déficience, un hébergement en centre spécialisé peut être envisagé. Ces centres spécialisés représentent souvent un coût financier énorme tant pour la personne que pour la société. Afin de limiter ces coûts, une solution alternative a émergé : les habitats domotiques. Ce sont des habitats dans lesquels un ensemble de technologies permet de pallier aux déficiences des personnes et de leur donner une autonomie accrue. Pour ces personnes, certaines de ces activités de la vie quotidienne peuvent représenter des obstacles voire être dangereuses. Par exemple, l’activité de préparation d’un repas est une activité complexe qui peut présenter des risques variés pour des personnes atteintes de déficiences. Ces personnes sont alors assistées par des professionnels ou leurs aidants naturels lors de cette activité et peuvent perdre l’envie de préparer à manger. L’objectif de cette thèse est de concevoir un système permettant à ces personnes de réaliser l’activité de la préparation d’un repas en toute autonomie et en toute sécurité. D’une part, on retrouve la personne atteinte, qui selon sa déficience, aura une façon unique pour réaliser cette activité. Ces personnes vivent rarement seules, il faut tenir compte qu’un public varié puisse bénéficier du système pour la préparation d’un repas. D’autre part, cette activité aura lieu dans un environnement différent pour chaque habitat. Le système doit assurer la sécurité lors de l’activité de préparation de repas, par conséquent, la fiabilité du système est un critère important. Ces habitats sont généralement déjà équipés d’appareils, il devient nécessaire pour le système de pouvoir s’adapter à ces appareils existants. L’objectif de ces travaux est la réalisation d’un prototype permettant d’assurer la sécurité lors de l’activité de la préparation d’un repas par des personnes atteintes de la maladie d’Alzheimer et ses aidants (professionnels ou naturels). Ce prototype doit s’adapter aux besoins des usagers, de son environnement et du matériel sur lequel il est déployé. iii Pour ce faire, le système, basé sur un système multi-agents, applique des règles de sécurité qui se personnalisent par le biais du profil médical des usagers. La réalisation de modèles pour chaque objectif a permis de réaliser une architecture d’un système flexible. Ces modèles ont été déployés sur deux applications distinctes. Nos travaux ont été menés au sein de deux laboratoires, qui chacun, disposent d’appareils de cuisine différents dans leurs habitats intelligents pour la santé. Les besoins en termes de capteurs et leur interfaçage avec le système sont présentés. Enfin, le système a pu être testé dans ces deux environnements, son adaptation vis-à-vis d’une clientèle variée et pour plusieurs risques de sécurité à travers des scénarios d’usage. Les résultats de ces expérimentations ont été concluants et ont permis de montrer que le prototype répond bien aux objectifs visés