Adaptive formation control for distributed autonomous mobile robot groups

Abstract

We present adaptive formation control for distributed autonomous mobile robot groups, envisioning mobile robots being used in crime deterrence. Our mobile robot group has a task to prevent a trespasser from passing along a way in a surveillance area by a group formation. To control the formation, each robot has a formation vector. In particular, the formation is controllable by the vectors. The group encounters various ways and each way has its own width. Moreover, the number of the robots in the group is changed when some of them are broken. However, the group in our control method can make a specified formation to achieve the task, adapting to variations of such conditions. In other words, we prove an existence of a distributed control method that enables the adaptation of the formation. The validity of our method is verified by computer simulations.