DisCoF: Cooperative pathfinding in distributed systems with limited sensing and communication range

Yu Zhang, Kangjin Kim, Georgios Fainekos

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

7 Scopus citations

Abstract

Cooperative pathfinding is often addressed in one of two ways in the literature. In fully coupled approaches, robots are considered together and the plans for all robots are constructed simultaneously. In decoupled approaches, the plans are constructed only for a subset of robots at a time. While decoupled approaches can be much faster than fully coupled approaches, they are often suboptimal and incomplete. Although there exist a few decoupled approaches that achieve completeness, global information (which makes global coordination possible) is assumed. Global information may not be accessible in distributed robotic systems. In this paper, we provide a window-based approach to cooperative pathfinding with limited sensing and communication range in distributed systems (called DisCoF). In DisCoF, robots are assumed to be fully decoupled initially, and may gradually increase the level of coupling in an online and distributed fashion. In some cases, e.g., when global information is needed to solve the problem instance, DisCoF would eventually couple all robots together. DisCoF represents an inherently online approach since robots may only be aware of a subset of robots in the environment at any given point of time. Hence, they do not have enough information to determine non-conflicting plans with all the other robots. Completeness analysis of DisCoF is provided.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publicationDistributed Autonomous Robotic Systems - The 12th International Symposium
EditorsYoung-Jo Cho, Nak-Young Chong
PublisherSpringer Verlag
Pages325-340
Number of pages16
ISBN (Print)9784431558774
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
Event12th International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems, DARS 2014 - Daejeon, Korea, Republic of
Duration: Nov 2 2014Nov 5 2014

Publication series

NameSpringer Tracts in Advanced Robotics
Volume112
ISSN (Print)1610-7438
ISSN (Electronic)1610-742X

Other

Other12th International Symposium on Distributed Autonomous Robotic Systems, DARS 2014
Country/TerritoryKorea, Republic of
CityDaejeon
Period11/2/1411/5/14

Keywords

  • Cooperative pathfinding
  • Distributed robot systems

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering
  • Artificial Intelligence

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