Multi-Robot Exploration with Strictly Limited Communication
           

- 指導教授 黃漢邦 博士 研究生 黃柔丰

- Advisor :Dr.Han-Pang Huang Student : Jou-Feng Huang

Lab. of Robotics., Department of Mechanical Engineering National Taiwan University Taiwan

Abstract:

The main objective of this thesis is to develop a frontier-based multi-robot exploration structure with strictly limited communication. Generally, robots explore unknown areas without communication; therefore, this study aims to improve the future possibility of these robots coming into contact with one another in order to avoid overlap. First, a two-robot exploration strategy, which is the foundation of multi-robot exploration structures, is proposed. Various frontier properties, such as frontier tree tracking and frontier area, are described to assist the robot in understanding the present situation. Then, the meeting-oriented goal assignment (MOGA) is proposed to provide smooth frontier exploration orders for the two robots. This is followed by the development of the meeting-oriented frontier search (MOFS), which is aimed to make robots determine the balance between deep exploration and meeting-point approach. Rules are also summed up to complete the two-robot exploration structure. Next, the two-robot structure is extended to a multi-robot exploration structure by dividing the robots into several two-robot groups. In a given communication process, each robot has one identity, assigned from several possibilities: Full Team (FT), One Teamer (OT), Not Teamer (NT), and Not-Meeting Robot (NMR). The NMR information tracking and the OT goal assignment are proposed to ensure possible meetings of team members. MOGA for teams is developed to assign left frontiers to FT and NT, in order for each team to identify its own goals. Finally, a rejection force term is added to the multi-robot MOFS to avoid the overlap of teams. Three maps are used in the simulation environment. The strategy is compared with the “coordinated” algorithm and better results are observed. The proposed strategy performs satisfactorily, even if the environment has become larger. A real-world two-robot exploration is also implemented after solving a number of practical problems, such as map merging and wireless communication.





中文摘要:

本文主要目的在設計多機器人處於嚴苛限制通訊下的環境探索機制,由於機器人在探索過程中很少有通訊的機會,因此我們將重點放在如何增加機器人相遇的機會以避免重複探索。


首 先,我們提出兩隻機器人探索機制作為多機器人探索的基礎。機器人用一些邊界性質像是邊界樹追蹤以及邊界面積,幫助了解目前探索過的環境,然後用相遇導向目 標指定(Meeting-Oriented Goal Assignment, MOGA)演算法得到一個流暢的探索順序。在脫離通訊後,機器人用相遇導向邊界搜尋(Meeting-Oriented Frontier Search, MOFS)法平衡深度探索以及往約好的相遇點靠近,最後搭配一些規則幫助完成兩隻機器人環境探索機制。


然後,我們將多機器人探索 簡化為兩隻一組的多組機器人探索。當機器人相遇時,每隻機器人可能狀態為Full Team (FT)、One Teamer (OT)、 Not Teamer (NT)、以及Not-Meeting Robot (NMR)。NMR的資訊追蹤以及OT的目標指定可以幫助確保同組組員相遇機率,而組別的相遇導向目標指定(MOGA for teams)可將殘餘的邊界適當的分派給FT與NT。最後,我們在MOFS中加入排斥力項以避免組與組間的重複探索。


在模擬方面,我們使用了三張地圖比較我們的探索策略和"合作(coordinated)"探索策略,並驗證出我們的策略較有效率,且即使探索環境變大,我們的探索機制依然表現優異。在實作上,我們解決了實體地圖整合與通訊問題,並將兩隻機器人用於真實環境探索。