Modelling of redundancy in multiple mobile robots

Abstract

A model of redundant systems of multiple mobile robots is developed. This model permits the analysis of the overall system reliability and fault-tolerance capability. Static and dynamic redundancy in a multiple robot system applied to box pushing tasks are defined, and examples of redundant geometric configurations are presented. The model and definition facilitate the analysis of different controller configurations in the presence of faults in individual robots, with the goal being the design of controllers which take advantage of the potential reliability increase provided by groups of mobile robots over single robots.