Robohub.org
 

Robot formations that avoid obstacles


by
13 September 2010



share this:

In formations, robots are positioned at a precise distance and sometimes angle from one another to form shapes. Robots that advance in formations can share communication, computation and sensing resources and work together to explore the world or transport objects.

Ideally, robot formations should be able to advance in a common direction while avoiding obstacles in their environment. Addressing this challenge, Monteiro et al. propose that each robot follows a leader. The idea is that a leader who knows where to go is followed by robots that remain at a fixed angle and distance from it. These followers can then serve as leaders for other robots. As a result, each robot is directly or indirectly following a single leader while maintaining precise angle and distance to one robot in the formation as shown in the image below. “Who follows who?” is described by a matrix sent to the robots. The formation can therefore be changed by sending different formation matrices to the robots.

Hexagon formation. Robots R2, R6 and R3 follow R1. Robot R4 follows R2 and R5 follows R4.

To maintain the formation while avoiding obstacles, followers use an attractor dynamics approach that changes their speed and heading. Simply put, followers are attracted to positions at correct distance and angle from their leader while being repulsed by obstacles. Using this technique formations can be formed from any starting position, can split to avoid obstacles and reassemble seamlessly.

Results in simulation and reality show robots can move in formations through cluttered environments with moving obstacles, replace leaders that have failed, and switch formations. In the video below three Khepera I robots are successful in switching between line, triangle and column formations and avoiding obstacles. In these experiments, robots needed to communicate their position to other robots in the formation. A later robot developed uses a camera to alleviate the need to communicate since robots can directly sense where their neighbors are.

In the future, Monteiro et al. plan to investigate how to design formation matrices at runtime depending on the needs of a mission and avoid problems due to robots not seeing each other.




Sabine Hauert is President of Robohub and Associate Professor at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory
Sabine Hauert is President of Robohub and Associate Professor at the Bristol Robotics Laboratory





Related posts :



Livestream of RoboCup2025

  18 Jul 2025
Watch the competition live from Salvador!

Tackling the 3D Simulation League: an interview with Klaus Dorer and Stefan Glaser

and   15 Jul 2025
With RoboCup2025 starting today, we found out more about the 3D simulation league, and the new simulator they have in the works.

An interview with Nicolai Ommer: the RoboCupSoccer Small Size League

and   01 Jul 2025
We caught up with Nicolai to find out more about the Small Size League, how the auto referees work, and how teams use AI.

RoboCupRescue: an interview with Adam Jacoff

and   25 Jun 2025
Find out what's new in the RoboCupRescue League this year.

Robot Talk Episode 126 – Why are we building humanoid robots?

  20 Jun 2025
In this special live recording at Imperial College London, Claire chatted to Ben Russell, Maryam Banitalebi Dehkordi, and Petar Kormushev about humanoid robotics.

Gearing up for RoboCupJunior: Interview with Ana Patrícia Magalhães

and   18 Jun 2025
We hear from the organiser of RoboCupJunior 2025 and find out how the preparations are going for the event.

Robot Talk Episode 125 – Chatting with robots, with Gabriel Skantze

  13 Jun 2025
In the latest episode of the Robot Talk podcast, Claire chatted to Gabriel Skantze from KTH Royal Institute of Technology about having natural face-to-face conversations with robots.

Preparing for kick-off at RoboCup2025: an interview with General Chair Marco Simões

and   12 Jun 2025
We caught up with Marco to find out what exciting events are in store at this year's RoboCup.



 

Robohub is supported by:




Would you like to learn how to tell impactful stories about your robot or AI system?


scicomm
training the next generation of science communicators in robotics & AI


©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence


 












©2025.05 - Association for the Understanding of Artificial Intelligence