Experimental Testbed for Swarming and Cooperative Robotic Networks

Abstract

This document describes an innovative cooperative robotics multi-vehicle testbed, featuring a flexible architecture that enables the system to be rapidly adapted to different applications. It also offers tools to reduce development and implementation time. The testbed consists of ten non-holonomic car-like robots networked together to share sensor information. Each vehicle features an on-board computer for local control, and a network of devices that can be suited with a variety of hot-swappable sensors depending on the application. The entire system is integrated with Player, an open source sensor server compatible with Gazebo, a 3D world simulator. Control algorithms can be evaluated in simulation mode and then ported to the real vehicle with virtually no code change. We present a flexible and complete system that serves the study of Cooperative Control, Hybrid and Embedded Systems, Sensor Networks, Networked Control and that can be used in an extensive range of applications.