MultiRobotExploration < Main

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---++ Multi-Robot Exploration Using Potential Field

A continuation of James' [[FastModelConstruction][Multi-robot Fast Map Construction]].

Our goal is , building on James' project, to improve the potential field navigation and mapping abilities of the program so as to run it in larger real-world environments.

---+++ Resources

Current code found in the RobotExploration repository on BitBucket under the branch edited.

Attached on this page are tests of the program in simulation.

---+++ Current work

   * Fine-tune vortexing code that moves robot around rather than directly away from obstacles.
      * Vortexing code is added and shows results; but is still inconsistent. Needs to be working on 2Room map before trying Obstacle map again?
   * Implement SLAM algorithm to improve robot mapping. (This may not be testable in MobileSim -- might have to use the physical robots?)

---+++ Changes made to original code

   * Gate-sensing function added to potential attraction calculation. 
      * Previously, the robot was not drawn to narrow openings such as doorways or halls due to their being surrounded by an obstacle. With the gate-sensing function, the robot is slightly more attracted to such narrow openings, called "gates", making it more likely to investigate rooms and corridors.
      * Gates show as yellow cells on the maps, though like other cells they stop being attractive once the area around them has been explored enough.
   * Limited turning per timestep. 
      * Previously, the robot often turned as much as 180 degrees at once, which could cause erratic behavior on simulation but would be harmful to a physical robot. Now, the maximum amount a robot will turn per timestep is defined as a variable in RobotMap.h, making the robot's turns smoother.
   * Bugs fixed: 
      * All robots now shut down after map is completed, where previously only the one that first received the complete map did.
      * Robot no longer considers itself an obstacle when calculation repulsion by other robots -- this had caused some strange behavior in cell just below robot.
   * Small configurations that improve robot's performance in simulation: 
      * Attract area spans entire map (should probably change if ever exploring a large physical area)
      * Maximum potential level reduced (less difference between explored and unexplored cells means that robot is less likely to be stuck in a high-potential minimum)
      * Map dimensions increased -- allows for more precise mapping

<span style="color: #7a4707; font-family: 'Courier New', courier, monaco, monospace; white-space: pre;">&lt;meta name="robots" content="noindex" /&gt;</span>

-- (c) Fordham University Robotics and Computer Vision

Attachments

Topic attachments
I	Attachment	History	Action	Size	Date	Who	Comment
zip	March14Tests.zip	r1	manage	146.6 K	2014-07-09 - 20:49	UnknownUser	Graphs and description of tests from March.
zip	May14Tests.zip	r1	manage	127.6 K	2014-07-09 - 20:49	UnknownUser	Graphs and description of tests from May.

Topic revision: r1 - 2014-07-09 - AlinaKenealy