Line and circle formation of distributed physical mobile robots

The formation problem of distributed mobile robots was studied in the literature for idealized robots. Idealized robots are able to instantaneously move in any directions, and are equipped with perfect range sensors. In this study, we address the formation problem of distributed mobile robots that are subject to physical constraints. Mobile robots considered in this study have physical dimensions and their motions are governed by physical laws. They are equipped with sonar and infrared range sensors. The formation of lines and circles is investigated in detail. It is demonstrated that line and circle algorithms developed for idealized robots do not work well for physical robots. New line and circle algorithms, with consideration of physical robots and sensors, are presented and validated through extensive simulations. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.