MACROSCOPIC QUANTITATIVE OBSERVATION OF MULTI-ROBOT BEHAVIOR

Abstract

In observing behavior of multiple autonomous robots, a microscopic observation expressed by dynamic equations is usually used. However, it is very difficult to estimate behavior of robots or mutual interactions among them in real time. Furthermore, it is hard to realize the observed system by taking consideration in all the factors of the system. On the other hand, a macroscopic observation defined by state equations is efficient for recognizing behavior of multiple robots. In this study, a quantitative observation approach is proposed on behavior of multiple robots. This approach introduces macroscopic state quantities in thermodynamics into expression of the multiple robots system. The advantage of this approach is that observation on the behavior of autonomous robots in real world can be mapped to characteristic quantities in another conceptual state space. At first, the state quantities of multiple robots system are defined and their physical meaning is discussed regarding it as quantitative observation of multiple robots. The macroscopic state quantities in thermodynamics, such as temperature, pressure and entropy, are introduced into mobile robots system. Each mobile robot is regarded as a particle in term of thermodynamic systems. Experiments show that the states of robots system can be classified from a viewpoint of the macroscopic state quantities in thermodynamics. This verifies that the macroscopic quantitative observation is efficient and applicable to controlling multiple robots system.