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Multi-robot Manipulation Without Communication

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Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems

Part of the book series: Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics ((STAR,volume 112 ))

Abstract

This paper presents a novel multi-robot manipulation algorithm which allows a large number of small robots to move a comparatively large object along a desired trajectory to a goal location. The algorithm does not require an explicit communication network among the robots. Instead, the robots coordinate their actions through sensing the motion of the object itself. It is proven that this implicit information is sufficient to synchronize the forces applied by the robots. A leader robot then steers the forces of the synchronized group to manipulate the object through the desired trajectory to the goal. The paper presents algorithms that are proven to control both translational and rotational motion of the object. Simulations demonstrate the approach for two scenarios with 20 robots transporting a rectangular plank and 1000 robots transporting a piano.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    This requirement can be relaxed so that robots only know the velocity and acceleration of their attachment point, \(\dot{x}_i\) and \(\ddot{x}_i\), in their local reference frame, however this considerably complicates the dynamics. We treat the simpler case here for clarity.

  2. 2.

    For example, all the robots can repeatedly apply forces in random directions. Eventually enough of the forces will algin by chance to overcome static friction, and the object will begin to move.

  3. 3.

    The video is available online, http://youtu.be/emZVxcl3Zg4.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by NSF grant CNS-1330036. We are grateful for this support. We also would like to thank James McLurkin and Golnaz Habibi for many insightful discussions on this topic.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Boston University, Boston, MA, USA

    Zijian Wang & Mac Schwager

Authors
  1. Zijian Wang
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  2. Mac Schwager
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Correspondence to Mac Schwager .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, Nomi, Ishikawa, Japan

    Nak-Young Chong

  2. Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute, Daejeon, Korea (Republic of)

    Young-Jo Cho

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Wang, Z., Schwager, M. (2016). Multi-robot Manipulation Without Communication. In: Chong, NY., Cho, YJ. (eds) Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems. Springer Tracts in Advanced Robotics, vol 112 . Springer, Tokyo. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55879-8_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-4-431-55879-8_10

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Tokyo

  • Print ISBN: 978-4-431-55877-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-4-431-55879-8

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