Research Areas in Multi-Robot Systems

The main areas of interest of the TC can be summarized as follows:

  1. Modeling and Control of MRS:
    • Modeling of MRS
      Tradeoffs between simplicity and completeness: modeling dynamics or just kinematics, modeling the sensing and interaction structure and medium, etc.
    • Design and Use of the Heterogeneity of MRS
      In terms of sensing, motion and computation capabilities
    • Bio-Inspired MRS and Swarm Intelligence/Robotics
    • Optimal Control and Optimization Methods for MRS
    • Control Architectures and Scalability for MRS
      Centralized vs. decentralized, etc.
    • General Control Objectives for MRS
      Formation control, flocking, coverage, force control, etc.
    • Distributed Perception and Estimation in MRS
      Perceiving, understanding and merging different pieces of local information
  2. Planning and Decision Making for MRS:
    • Motion Planning and Coordination for MRS
      Centralized vs. decentralized vs. hybrid, etc.
    • Task Planning, Allocation, and Cooperative Execution for MRS
      Centralized, decentralized, real time, on/off line
    • Cooperative Decision Making in MRS
    • Physical Interaction in/with MRS
      Among robots, with the environment, with humans
    • Cooperative/Collective Learning in MRS
    • AI of Large Scale Systems
  3. Applications of MRS, Technological and Methodological Issues:
    • Industrial/Societal Real-world Applications of MRS
    • Mechatronic Design of MRS
    • Operating Systems and Cloud Technology for MRS
    • Software Platforms and Realistic Simulation Tools for MRS
    • Communication in MRS
    • Principled Experimental Methodologies for MRS
    • MRS for Cooperative Manipulation
    • MRS in Unstructured Environments
      Urban environments, search & rescue operations, etc.
    • Micro/Nano Scale MRS
    • Performance Evaluation and Benchmarking in MRS