To flock or not to flock: the pros and cons of flocking in long-range "migration" of mobile robot swarms

This study investigates the pros and cons of flocking in longrange “migration” of mobile robot swarms under the influence of different factors. We present a flocking behavior consisting of three simple behaviors: heading alignment, proximal control, and alignment to the desired homing direction. The behavior drives a flock of robots from one location to another by sensing the magnetic field of the Earth. We propose that four factors influence the accuracy of reaching a particular location with the proposed behavior; namely, averaging through the heading alignment behavior, the noise in sensing the homing direction, the differences in the characteristics of the individuals, and the disturbances caused by proximal control behavior. In a series of systematic experiments conducted with both physical and simulated robots, we evaluate the effects of these factors in the accuracy of long-range “migrations” of flocks. Categories and Subject Descriptors I.2.9 [Artificial Int...

• Type: Conference
• Year: 2009
• Where: ATAL
• Authors: Fatih Gökçe, Erol Sahin
• Keywords: ATAL 2009, Heading Alignment, Homing Direction, Proximal Control