Amoeba Exploration: Coordinated Exploration with Distributed Robots

Abstract

Autonomous exploration with distributed robots, such as search and rescue, planetary exploration and patrolling, is a major challenge for multi-robot coordination. In this paper, we propose a fascinating framework for coordinated exploration, named, amoeba exploration. The aim of amoeba exploration is to take the speed balance between acquiring and sharing information when using robots with limited communication ability. To achieve this purpose, robots have to obey a simple rule; gathering at the dynamic meeting place, called Anchor, at regular intervals. Simulation experiments were conducted in several conditions to evaluate our proposal, and amoeba exploration successfully shortened the exploration time.