Intellectual Development Model for Multi-Robot Systems

Rosiery S Maia,Luiz M G Gonçalves

doi:10.1007/s10846-015-0224-0

Abstract

We propose the IDeM-MRS learning formalism to be used by a group of robots for solving practical tasks in indoor environments. The formalism is inspired on the theory of social learning models for human beings that is traditionally developed in Psychology and Education fields. Our model can be used for coordination of the group, as for, allowing assimilation and accommodation of knowledge through experience exchange. Besides explaining the theoretical model itself, we formalize the mathematics involved with it in a very simple and straightforward fashion. Some issues are especially investigated such as the realistic representation of the multi-robot environment involving the global mission, the tasks belonging to the mission and the active set of robots. A way for task selection is proposed based on social learning theories and approaches that allow cooperative and efficient execution of tasks by robots. To this end, IDeM-MRS can be used in different types of missions varying from simple to complex. Experiments and results validate the efficiency of the formalism compared to a traditional empirical model.

Highlights

Applications in the field of autonomous mobile robotics require a high degree of flexibility, adaptability and efficiency mainly in tasks in which cooperation among a group of robots is necessary in order to solve a global problem
4 Theory of the Social Learning Models As stated above, the goal of this work is to use the traditional theories about the learning process in humans in order to create a mathematical formulation able to direct the cooperation of a group of robots based on the exchange of experience and without human mediation
We propose a learning formalism that can be used for multi-robot systems in cooperative solution of tasks

Summary

Introduction

Applications in the field of autonomous mobile robotics require a high degree of flexibility, adaptability and efficiency mainly in tasks in which cooperation among a group of robots is necessary in order to solve a global problem. The term multirobot system is adopted to denominate a group of robots whose global task is common to all of them [18]. Group cooperation is one of the main habilities of a multi-robot system that is necessary to reach the global objective of the mission. In the context of multi-robot systems directed to the solution of tasks through cooperation, it would be interesting to have a good relationship for knowledge and experience exchange inside the group and, to make possible the inclusion of knowledge, individually.

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