Auction-based multi-agent task assignment in smart logistic center

Abstract

For the task assignment problem in a smart logistic center with many autonomous mobile robots, a task assignment method is proposed based on a market auction idea. Due to the existence of asymmetrical shelf-shift tasks within the center and diverse self-finished cost of each task besides the correlation between tasks, the problem of multi-robot task assignment in a logistic center is different from multi-robot routing problem. By introducing the correlation function and self-finished cost function, the model of task assignment is presented. Then, the bidding strategy is given by analyzing the performance difference. On these bases, an auction approach is developed for the static and dynamic task assignment. Finally, the simulation results show the applicability of the algorithm.