Abstract

In this paper, we review methods used for macroscopic modeling and analyzing collective behavior of swarm robotic systems. Although the behavior of an individual robot in a swarm is often characterized by an important stochastic component, the collective behavior of swarms is statistically predictable and has often a simple probabilistic description. Indeed, we show that a class of mathematical models that describe the dynamics of collective behavior can be generated using the individual robot controller as modeling blueprint. We illustrate the macroscopic modelling methods with the help of a few sample results gathered in distributed manipulation experiments (collaborative stick pulling, foraging, aggregation). We compare the models’ predictions to results of probabilistic numeric and sensor-based simulations as well as experiments with real robots. Depending on the assumptions, the metric used, and …

Date

July 17, 2004

Authors

Kristina Lerman, Alcherio Martinoli, Aram Galstyan

Source

International workshop on swarm robotics

Pages

143-152

Publisher

Springer Berlin Heidelberg