Searching dynamic agents with a team of mobile robots

Sensors (Basel). 2012;12(7):8815-31. doi: 10.3390/s120708815. Epub 2012 Jun 27.

Abstract

This paper presents a new algorithm that allows a team of robots to cooperatively search for a set of moving targets. An estimation of the areas of the environment that are more likely to hold a target agent is obtained using a grid-based Bayesian filter. The robot sensor readings and the maximum speed of the moving targets are used in order to update the grid. This representation is used in a search algorithm that commands the robots to those areas that are more likely to present target agents. This algorithm splits the environment in a tree of connected regions using dynamic programming. This tree is used in order to decide the destination for each robot in a coordinated manner. The algorithm has been successfully tested in known and unknown environments showing the validity of the approach.

Keywords: dynamic agent search; grid-based Bayesian filtering; multi-robot systems; search algorithm.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't