Coordinated Protocols: An Approach To Formalize Coordination Between Mobile Robots

A bs t racd This paper introduces (i) coordinated protocols and (ia) a language tha t was developed t o program these protocols. Coordinated protocols are based o n the n o t i o n of Predicates/iPransitions n e t s and they are used t o coordinate (synchronization, exchange of i n format ion ) activit ies of several mobile robots. These protocols are part of a more general archilecture f o r cooperative mobile robots that i s also discussed in this paper. A language t o program protocols has been designed t o facili tate t he i r development . T h e language increases the f lexibility of t he architecture w i t h respect t o n e w applications. I t s s yn taz i~ f i l l y described and, in order t o show the interest o f t h i s approach, t w o ezamples programmed w i t h the language are presented. O n e runn ing o n t w o real robots and the other in simulat ion.