Robotic Swarm Control Using Vector and Deflection Fields
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing techniques for controlling robotic swarms require high computing and communication resources, making them inefficient for reacting to sudden changes and high densities, and are limited to specific applications.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the determination and transmission of a vector field map and deflection field to robotic swarm members, using radio units to navigate and deflect members efficiently, ensuring collision-free routes through dynamic areas with low communication bandwidth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional unicast transmissions are used to control each swarm member individually, then each swarm member can be controlled to move at different velocities, but the radio network load becomes high and spectral capacity is exceeded requiring time multiplexing which causes asynchronous behavior
Solution Approach 1:
The control approach is segmented into two parts: a global vector field map transmitted once to all swarm members, and local deflection fields transmitted only to specific swarm members or groups that need individual adjustments. This segmentation reduces overall radio network load while maintaining individual control capability where necessary.
Solution Approach 2:
A vector field map acts as an intermediary representation of the desired swarm motion pattern. Instead of transmitting individual velocity commands to each swarm member, the system transmits a continuous vector field that all members reference, reducing communication overhead while maintaining coordinated motion.
2Quantity of substance
If offline flight plans are transmitted to drones for parallel execution, then real-time communication load is reduced, but the system requires intensive radio communication for maintaining safety zones and cannot react to sudden changes or high swarm densities
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static offline flight plans to a dynamic vector field map that can be updated in real-time. The vector field map allows continuous adaptation to changing environmental conditions and swarm density, enabling the system to react to sudden changes while maintaining reduced communication load through the field-based representation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the parameter representation from discrete velocity commands to a continuous vector field with spatially varying parameters. This allows smooth adaptation to changing conditions and enables the swarm to respond to sudden changes by updating the vector field parameters rather than transmitting individual commands to each member.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a ground station selects various parts of predetermined plans for each UAV, then flight synchronization is achieved, but the system requires intensive radio communication and is only applicable for particular purposes with high computing resources
Solution Approach 1:
The vector field map serves as a universal control mechanism that can guide multiple swarm members simultaneously without requiring individualized flight plans. This universal approach maintains synchronization through the shared reference frame while reducing the complexity of ground station computing and communication resources.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting and storing individualized flight plans for each UAV, the system transmits a single vector field map that all UAVs reference. This copying approach reduces ground station memory requirements and communication load while maintaining synchronized flight through the shared vector field reference.
Data Source
AI summary
A technique for controlling a robotic swarm in an area (502) comprising a plurality of radio units (504, 506) for providing radio access to the robotic swarm is described. The robotic swarm comprises a plurality of swarm members (200; 1600; 1791; 1792; 1830). As to a method aspect of the technique, a vector field map (510) is determined (302). The vector field map (510) comprises velocity vectors indicative of a speed and a direction for navigating the swarm members (200; 1600; 1791; 1792; 1830) through the area (502). A deflection field (512) is determined (304). The deflection field (512) is indicative of a deflection for deflecting the swarm members (200; 1600; 1791; 1792; 1830) relative to the vector field map (510). The vector field map (510) and the deflection field (512) are transmitted (306) through the radio units (504, 506) to at least one of the swarm members (200; 1600; 1791; 1792; 1830) for controlling the motion of the at least one of the swarm members (200; 1600; 1791; 1792; 1830) in the area (502).