Multi-robot flooding algorithm for the exploration of unknown indoor environments

In this paper we study the problem of multi-robot exploration of unknown indoor environments that are modeled as trees. Specifically, our approach consider that robots deploy and communicate with active landmarks in every intersection they encounter. We present a novel algorithm that is guaranteed to completely explore any tree with m edges and diameter D, by allowing k robots to be fed into the tree one at a time. We prove that the exploration time of the algorithm grows in linear proportion with the size of the tree and is not bigger than D+m. Simulation results are presented that corroborate the theoretical analysis.

[1]  Mihalis Yannakakis,et al.  Shortest Paths Without a Map , 1989, Theor. Comput. Sci..

[2]  Gaurav S. Sukhatme,et al.  Coverage, Exploration and Deployment by a Mobile Robot and Communication Network , 2003, Telecommun. Syst..

[3]  Andrzej Pelc,et al.  Impact of topographic information on graph exploration efficiency , 2000, Networks.

[4]  Andrzej Pelc,et al.  Exploring unknown undirected graphs , 1999, SODA '98.

[5]  Brian Yamauchi,et al.  A frontier-based approach for autonomous exploration , 1997, Proceedings 1997 IEEE International Symposium on Computational Intelligence in Robotics and Automation CIRA'97. 'Towards New Computational Principles for Robotics and Automation'.

[6]  Baruch Schieber,et al.  Navigating in Unfamiliar Geometric Terrain , 1997, SIAM J. Comput..

[7]  Hans P. Moravec.  Sensor Fusion in Certainty Grids for Mobile Robots , 1988, AI Mag..

[8]  Andrzej Pelc,et al.  Collective tree exploration , 2004, Networks.

[9]  Andrea Gasparri,et al.  Multirobot Tree and Graph Exploration , 2011, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[10]  Baruch Awerbuch,et al.  Polylogarithmic-overhead piecemeal graph exploration , 1998, COLT' 98.

[11]  Gaurav S. Sukhatme,et al.  The Design and Analysis of an Efficient Local Algorithm for Coverage and Exploration Based on Sensor Network Deployment , 2007, IEEE Transactions on Robotics.

[12]  Xiaotie Deng,et al.  Exploring an unknown graph , 1990, Proceedings [1990] 31st Annual Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science.

[13]  Xiaotie Deng,et al.  How to learn an unknown environment , 1991, [1991] Proceedings 32nd Annual Symposium of Foundations of Computer Science.

[14]  Friedhelm Meyer auf der Heide,et al.  Smart Robot Teams Exploring Sparse Trees , 2006, MFCS.

[15]  Mona Singh,et al.  Piecemeal graph exploration by a mobile robot (extended abstract) , 1995, COLT '95.

[16]  Andrzej Pelc,et al.  Optimal graph exploration without good maps , 2002, Theor. Comput. Sci..

[17]  V. S. Anil Kumar,et al.  Optimal constrained graph exploration , 2001, SODA '01.

[18]  Baruch Schieber,et al.  Navigating in unfamiliar geometric terrain , 1991, STOC '91.

[19]  Michael A. Bender,et al.  The power of a pebble: exploring and mapping directed graphs , 1998, STOC '98.

[20]  Mona Singh,et al.  Piecemeal Graph Exploration by a Mobile Robot , 1999, Inf. Comput..

[21]  Michael Jenkin,et al.  Robotic exploration as graph construction , 1991, IEEE Trans. Robotics Autom..