Evolving Neural Networks for Multi-robot Odor Search

Abstract

The tasks of odor detection, plume tracking and odor source localization constitute an important, yet complex, real world problem. One possible solution for them is based on the use of a group of mobile robots whose controllers have to be defined. Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) have already been used as controllers, but the task of hand defining their topology and parameters can be very challenging and time consuming. In this paper, we propose an approach to evolve, rather than design, ANN-based controllers. Our approach relies on Genetic Programming (GP), a family of stochastic search procedures loosely inspired by the biological principles of Natural Selection and Genetics. We compare our approach with a classic one, inspired by the chemotaxis behavior of the E. coli bacteria. Our results show that this approach is able to outperform the chemotaxis in the experiments performed.