Coordinating Mobile Robots By Applying Traffic Rules

This paper proposes a system to control mobile robots by applying traffic rules. The authors have constructed traffic rules to achieve safe and smooth movement of robots by collectively consid- ering information on the w ork environments of mo- bile objects such as mobile robots and persons. The traffic rules enable respective m obile robots using self-control to j udge their movement. The system a pplies the traffic rules to mobile robots in order to c oordinate a certain range of movement through maximum use of information on the environments of mobile robots s uch as their pas- sages, quantity, performances, and which are usually are known. Applying traffic rules to robot movement in order to coordinate r obots is a new proposal, enabling the realization of a system that needs no direct communi- cation such as a communications system. This paper first outlines a traffic rules application system for mobile robots, and explains how to con- struct the system by showing examples. Also, the paper discusses the effects of the system, and how to apply the traffic rules to actual systems. Finally, the paper explains the effectiveness of the system that applies the traffic rules, and the attainment of mobile robots using the system through experiments with mobile robots mounting ultrasonic sensors.