TY - JOUR
T1 - Convergence of autonomous mobile robots with inaccurate sensors and movements
AU - Cohen, Reuven
AU - Peleg, David
PY - 2008
Y1 - 2008
N2 - A number of recent studies concern algorithms for distributed control and coordination in systems of autonomous mobile robots. The common theoretical model adopted in these studies assumes that the positional input of the robots is obtained by perfectly accurate visual sensors, that robot movements are accurate, and that internal calculations performed by the robots on (real) coordinates are perfectly accurate as well. The current paper concentrates on the effect of weakening this rather strong set of assumptions and replacing it with the more realistic assumption that the robot sensors, movement, and internal calculations may have slight inaccuracies. Specifically, the paper concentrates on the ability of robot systems with inaccurate sensors, movements, and calculations to carry out the task of convergence. The paper presents several impossibility theorems, limiting the inaccuracy levels that still allow convergence, and prohibiting a general algorithm for gathering, namely, meeting at a point, in a finite number of steps. The main positive result is an algorithm for convergence under bounded measurement, movement, and calculation errors.,
AB - A number of recent studies concern algorithms for distributed control and coordination in systems of autonomous mobile robots. The common theoretical model adopted in these studies assumes that the positional input of the robots is obtained by perfectly accurate visual sensors, that robot movements are accurate, and that internal calculations performed by the robots on (real) coordinates are perfectly accurate as well. The current paper concentrates on the effect of weakening this rather strong set of assumptions and replacing it with the more realistic assumption that the robot sensors, movement, and internal calculations may have slight inaccuracies. Specifically, the paper concentrates on the ability of robot systems with inaccurate sensors, movements, and calculations to carry out the task of convergence. The paper presents several impossibility theorems, limiting the inaccuracy levels that still allow convergence, and prohibiting a general algorithm for gathering, namely, meeting at a point, in a finite number of steps. The main positive result is an algorithm for convergence under bounded measurement, movement, and calculation errors.,
KW - Autonomous robots
KW - Fault tolerance
KW - Inaccurate sensors
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=55249093889&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1137/060665257
DO - 10.1137/060665257
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AN - SCOPUS:55249093889
SN - 0097-5397
VL - 38
SP - 276
EP - 302
JO - SIAM Journal on Computing
JF - SIAM Journal on Computing
IS - 1
ER -