An Adaptive Communication Protocol for Cooperating Mobile Robots

Abstract

We describe mobile robots engaged in a cooperative task that requires communication. The robots are initially given a fixed but uninterpreted vocabulary for communication. In attempting to perform their task, the robots learn a private communication language. Different meanings for vocabulary elements are learned in different runs of the experiment. As circumstances change, the robots adapt their language to allow continued success at their task. 1 Introduction In this paper, we investigate the evolution of simple communication protocols among nonverbal subjects engaged in cooperative tasks. Gregarious animals, small children, and even adult humans lacking common language engage in such activity routinely. Grunts, gestures, and other nonverbal signals take on mutually agreed-upon meanings in the context of cooperative tasks. "Follow me," "Look out!" and "Raise your end of the table higher" can all be conveyed without previously agreed-upon language. Satisfactory completion of cooperat...