CRII: RI: Assignment, Routing, and Coordination of Diverse Robotic Sensors

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

This project studies the coordination of diverse robotic sensors by focusing on the task of observing all points in a given environment. The robots are required to visit viewpoints, such that all the viewpoints collectively observe the environment. When the number of potential viewpoints exceeds the number of robots, some robots will be required to visit and cover multiple viewpoints. Not all viewpoints are reachable from all the robots. This project introduces a novel combination of assignment and routing problems with diversity constraints. These investigations lay the foundations to achieve the overarching goal of understanding the role of diversity in robot swarms. The PI works with the Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity at Virginia Tech to ensure broad outreach, in particular, to K-12 students and for promoting diversity in STEM recruitment.