Building Configuration Space for Multiple UGVs

Abstract

Classical C-space (Configuration Space) is often used in such an assumption that obstacles are static and robots have global knowledge of environment. Unfortunately, a MRS (Multi-Robot Systems) which have local sensing cannot meet the assumption. This paper tries to build C-space for such a MRS. In the first place, we model the environment and robots as some sets of polygons, robots are UGVs (Unmanned Ground Vehicles) with limited sensing range and can communicate with each other. Then a decentralized algorithm is introduced by which two autonomous robots search environment and build C-space obstacles, while exchange and merge partial C-space obstacles generated by another robot every certain time interval until the whole C-space obstacles are established. It is similar to CML (Concurrent Mapping and Localization), but we mainly focus on the algorithm of generating and merging C-space. Finally a simulated implementation demonstrates validity of our algorithm.