Evaluating Control Strategies for Wireless-Networked Robots Using an Integrated Robot and Network Simulation
Wei Ye, Richard Vaughan, Gaurav S. Sukhatme, John Heidemann, Deborah L. Estrin, Maja J. Matarić · 2001
Abstract Wireless communication is an enabling factor in multiple mobile robot systems. There is significant interaction between robot controllers and communications subsystems. We present a method for evaluating combined robot control/communication strategies for a team of wireless-networked robots performing a resource transportation task. Two alternative controller designs are compared under established communication and radio propagation models. For each we measure the overall performance of the robot team including the cost of communication. The study illustrates how our evaluation tools can be used for designing controllers for robots operating in wireless communication environments. 1 Introduction Successful control and coordination of a group of wireless-networked robots relies on effective inter-robot communication. Conventional robot controllers should be robust with respect to uncertainty and variation in sensing and actuation; controllers that exploit information distributed over a wireless network must also contend with imperfect communication.