Project-oriented task scheduling for mobile robot team

Abstract

This paper presents a project-oriented framework for multi-robot task scheduling. An agent-based architecture is designed to schedule tasks where robots are considered as resources. The study focused on the problems when the number of available robots is less than the required number. In this case, the problem becomes a resource-constrained scheduling problem. Initially, tasks are scheduled by using Critical path method (CPM), resource leveling method is used to smooth the deviation between the resource requirements and available resource levels, and tasks are allocated to robots. As robots perform their tasks, a monitoring agent observes them and tasks are rescheduled if the difference between the planned and actual completion time of tasks exceeds a predefined threshold. Effectiveness of the proposed approach is shown by using a nine-task two-robot project simulation.