ChIRP robots performing a simple box pushing task, inspired by foraging ants. The objective of the experiment is to have a swarm of robots collectively push a box without using any communication.
The box is emitting IR-light that the robots can detect and therefore distinguish the box from other obstacles. It is too heavy for a single robot to push alone, meaning that the robots need to cooperate in order to push it. Each robot only knows that other robots and a box may be present, but has no notion of where they can be situated in the environment. Moreover no direct communication is allowed between the robots. The robots have to search for the box, and at the same time avoid other robots and obstacles they may encounter.
If the box is detected, the robot starts pushing for a predefined time. This time depends on how many neighbouring robots are assumed to be pushing the box. If a robot detects that it cannot move the box, it tries to reposition to another side of the box. Multiple robots pushing on the same side are thus more inclined to continue pushing instead of reposition to another side, and this will eventually converge enough robots pushing on the same side of the box, resulting in a force sufficient to move the box.
chirp.idi.ntnu.no
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