Experimental implementation and validation of consensus algorithms on a mobile actuator and sensor network platform

Abstract

In this paper, we experimentally implement and validate distributed consensus algorithms on a mobile actuator and sensor network platform under directed, possibly switching interaction topologies to explore issues and challenges in distributed multi-vehicle cooperative control. Distributed consensus algorithms are applied to three target applications namely rendezvous, axial alignment, and formation maneuvering. In the rendezvous application, multiple mobile robots simultaneously arrive at a common a priori unknown target location determined through team negotiation. In the axial alignment application, multiple mobile robots collectively align their final positions along a line. In the formation maneuvering application, multiple mobile robots form a rigid geometric shape and maneuver as a group with a given group velocity. The experimental results show the effectiveness and robustness of the consensus algorithms even in the presence of platform physical limitations, packet loss, information delay, etc.