SOCIAL POTENTIAL MODEL TO SIMULATE EMERGENT BEHAVIOUR FOR SWARM ROBOTS

Abstract

Swarm robotics has a wide range of applications in numerous fields from space and subseaexploration to the deployment of teams of interacting artificial agents in disposalsystems. In this paper, we introduce a model to simulate the emergent behaviour of multiagentrobot systems, based on principles from physical mechanics. The model is based onmutual interactions among the swarm individuals. The main elements of these interactionsare repulsion forces, attraction forces, alignment forces and dissipative forces generatedby the swarm members. Using statistical tools, which are used to investigate simulatedgroup behaviour, we discuss the importance of introducing some dissipation to the systemas well as the effect of the interaction parameters on various components of the model.