Multi-Robot Dynamic Role Assignment and Coordination Through Shared Potential Fields

Abstract

Role assignment and coordination are difficult issues for multi-robot systems, especially in highly dynamic tasks. Robot soccer is one such task and it provides a unique challenge for multi-robot research. In this paper, we contribute the approach that we successfully developed for CMPACK'02 , our team for the RoboCup-2002 Sony legged league. The RoboCup-2002 Sony robots were equipped with wireless communication for the first time this year. We developed an approach for sharing sensed information and effective coordination through the introduction of shared potential fields. The potential fields were based on the positions of the other robots on the team and the ball. The robots positioned themselves on the field by following the gradient to a minimum of the potential field. In principle, our potential functions can be applied to any multi-robot domain. We present the results of the RoboCup-2002 competition, which we won, and we show a post-competition, controlled empirical evaluation to analyze the impact of our algorithm. The results demonstrate that our team using our communication-dependent coordination outperforms a team of individually skilled robots without coordination.