Distributed Coordination Theory For Robot Teams

Distributed Coordination Theory for Robot Teams develops control algorithms to coordinate the motion of autonomous teams of robots in order to achieve some desired collective goal. It provides novel solutions to foundational coordination problems, including distributed algorithms to make quadrotor helicopters rendezvous and to make ground vehicles move in formation along circles or straight lines. The majority of the algorithms presented in this book can be implemented using on-board cameras. The book begins with an introduction to coordination problems, such as rendezvous of flying robots, and modelling. It then provides a solid theoretical background in basic stability, graph theory and control primitives. The book discusses the algorithmic solutions for numerous distributed control problems, focusing primarily on flying robotics and kinematic unicycles. Finally, the book looks to the future, and suggests areas discussed which could be pursued in further research. This book will provide practitioners, researchers and students in the field of control and robotics new insights in distributed multi-agent systems.

Distributed Coordination Theory for Robot Teams develops control algorithms to coordinate the motion of autonomous teams of robots in order to achieve some desired collective goal. It provides novel solutions to foundational coordination problems, including distributed algorithms to make quadrotor helicopters rendezvous and to make ground vehicles move in formation along circles or straight lines. The majority of the algorithms presented in this book can be implemented using on-board cameras. The book begins with an introduction to coordination problems, such as rendezvous of flying robots, and modelling. It then provides a solid theoretical background in basic stability, graph theory and control primitives. The book discusses the algorithmic solutions for numerous distributed control problems, focusing primarily on flying robotics and kinematic unicycles. Finally, the book looks to the future, and suggests areas discussed which could be pursued in further research. This book will provide practitioners, researchers and students in the field of control and robotics new insights in distributed multi-agent systems.

Distributed robotics is a rapidly growing and maturing interdisciplinary research area lying at the intersection of computer science, network science, control theory, and electrical and mechanical engineering. The goal of the Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) is to exchange and stimulate research ideas to realize advanced distributed robotic systems. This volume of proceedings includes 31 original contributions presented at the 2012 International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS 2012) held in November 2012 at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, MD USA. The selected papers in this volume are authored by leading researchers from Asia, Europa, and the Americas, thereby providing a broad coverage and perspective of the state-of-the-art technologies, algorithms, system architectures, and applications in distributed robotic systems. The book is organized into five parts, representative of critical long-term and emerging research thrusts in the multi-robot community: Coordination for Perception, Coverage, and Tracking; Task Allocation and Coordination Strategies; Modular Robots and Novel Mechanisms and Sensors; Formation Control and Planning for Robot Teams; and Learning, Adaptation, and Cognition for Robot Teams.

Cognitive processes in teams have been a valuable arena for team researchers to explore. Team cognition research advances and informs a variety of disciplines, including cognitive and social sciences, engineering, military science, organizational science, human factors, medicine, and communications. There has been a great deal of progress in the team cognition literature, yet the field is still in its early stages of maturity. There is much more to be gained from the field’s insights and there is a need to unite the diverse array of scholarly ideas that permeate the field. This movement will serve to organize the research and ideas that have surfaced in the field, thereby making them more accessible to different disciplines while at the same time, motivating continued progress in the field. This book aims to be a step in this direction and acts as a forum for leading scholars to share their ideas, theories, models, and conceptions about what matters and where more attention is needed in the field of team cognition.

This book constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 7th International Workshop on Distributed Computing, IWDC 2004, held in Kharagpur, India in December 2005. The 28 revised full papers and 33 revised short papers presented together with 5 invited keynote talks were carefully reviewed and selected from 253 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on theory of distributed computing, sensor networks, fault tolerance, optical networks, peer-to-peer networks, wireless networks, network security, grid and networks, middleware and data management, mobility management, and distributed artificial intelligence.

Distributed robotics is an interdisciplinary and rapidly growing area, combining research in computer science, communication and control systems, and electrical and mechanical engineering. Distributed robotic systems can autonomously solve complex problems while operating in highly unstructured real-world environments. They are expected to play a major role in addressing future societal needs, for example, by improving environmental impact assessment, food supply, transportation, manufacturing, security, and emergency and rescue services. The goal of the International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS) is to provide a forum for scientific advances in the theory and practice of distributed autonomous robotic systems. This volume of proceedings include 47 original contributions presented at the 13th International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems (DARS 2016), which was held at the Natural History Museum in London, UK, from November 7th to 9th, 2016. The selected papers in this volume are authored by leading researchers from around the world, thereby providing a broad coverage and perspective of the state-of-the-art technologies, algorithms, system architectures, and applications in distributed robotic systems. The book is organized into seven parts, representative of critical long-term and emerging research thrusts in the multi-robot community: Distributed Coverage and Exploration; Multi-Robot Control; Multi-Robot Estimation; Multi-Robot Planning; Modular Robots and Smart Materials; Swarm Robotics; and Multi-Robot Systems in Applications.

Highlights the human components of Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems, their interactions with the technology and each other, and the implications of human capabilities and limitations for the larger system Considers human factors issues associated with RPAS, but within the context of a very large system of people, other vehicles, policy, safety concerns, and varying applications Chapters have been contributed by world class experts in HSI and those with operational RPAS experience Considers unintended consequences associated with taking a more myopic view of this system Examines implications for practice, policy, and research Considers both civil and military aspects of RPAS

This is a comprehensive volume on robot teams that will be the standard reference on multi-robot systems. The volume provides not only the essentials of multi-agent robotics theory but also descriptions of exemplary implemented systems demonstrating the key concepts of multi-robot research. Information is presented in a descriptive manner and augme