Multi-robot formations: Queues and artificial potential trenches

Abstract

In this paper, we propose the representation of formations in terms of queues and queue vertices rather than with nodes, as well as the use of artificial potential trenches for the formation control of a team of robots. This addresses the issues of scalability, flexibility and stability which are required for the formation control of a large team of networked homogeneous robots with explicit communication capabilities. In addition, the ability of multi robot teams to negotiate obstacles is important for the operation of the teams in real and unstructured environments. The obstacle avoidance behavior considers the relative position and velocity, thus taking into account the presence of moving obstacles. In addition, local minima problems due to deep crevices of obstacles and dead ends of narrow paths, are solved by the application of the instant goal method.