Application of Multi-Robot Systems to Disaster-Relief Scenarios with Limited Communication

In this systems description paper, we present a multi-robot solution for intelligence-gathering tasks in disaster-relief scenarios where communication quality is uncertain. First, we propose a formal problem statement in the context of operations research. The hardware configuration of two heterogeneous robotic platforms capable of performing experiments in a relevant field environment and a suite of autonomy-enabled behaviors that support operation in a communication-limited setting are described. We also highlight a custom user interface designed specifically for task allocation amongst a group of robots towards completing a central mission. Finally, we provide an experimental design and extensive, preliminary results for studying the effectiveness of our system.

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