A common coordinates/heading direction generation method for wirelessly networked robots with only ranging capability

Abstract

Wirelessly networked robots having unknown locations and different individual heading directions cannot accomplish a unified task as a group. Therefore, it is necessary to generate a set of common coordinates among them and to notify each robot of its heading direction in the generated common coordinates. However, when the robots are not equipped with sensors to identify their locations or bearings, we can use only a function in wireless communication protocol to network them as a tool to generate a set of common coordinates among them.The present paper proposes a set of common coordinates and a heading direction generation method for wirelessly networked robots with only ranging capability, which is supported in wireless communication protocol. We explain the principle of the proposed method and show some computer simulation results on the location and direction estimation errors. Finally, we outline our prototype wirelessly networked robots system to experimentally evaluate the proposed method.