SPACE: A Python-based Simulator for Evaluating Decentralized Multi-Robot Task Allocation Algorithms

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Author: Jang, Inmo
Format: Preprint
Published: 2024
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author Jang, Inmo
author_facet Jang, Inmo
contents Swarm robotics explores the coordination of multiple robots to achieve collective goals, with collective decision-making being a central focus. This process involves decentralized robots autonomously making local decisions and communicating them, which influences the overall emergent behavior. Testing such decentralized algorithms in real-world scenarios with hundreds or more robots is often impractical, underscoring the need for effective simulation tools. We propose SPACE (Swarm Planning and Control Evaluation), a Python-based simulator designed to support the research, evaluation, and comparison of decentralized Multi-Robot Task Allocation (MRTA) algorithms. SPACE streamlines core algorithmic development by allowing users to implement decision-making algorithms as Python plug-ins, easily construct agent behavior trees via an intuitive GUI, and leverage built-in support for inter-agent communication and local task awareness. To demonstrate its practical utility, we implement and evaluate CBBA and GRAPE within the simulator, comparing their performance across different metrics, particularly in scenarios with dynamically introduced tasks. This evaluation shows the usefulness of SPACE in conducting rigorous and standardized comparisons of MRTA algorithms, helping to support future research in the field.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2409_04230
institution arXiv
publishDate 2024
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle SPACE: A Python-based Simulator for Evaluating Decentralized Multi-Robot Task Allocation Algorithms
Jang, Inmo
Robotics
Artificial Intelligence
Multiagent Systems
Swarm robotics explores the coordination of multiple robots to achieve collective goals, with collective decision-making being a central focus. This process involves decentralized robots autonomously making local decisions and communicating them, which influences the overall emergent behavior. Testing such decentralized algorithms in real-world scenarios with hundreds or more robots is often impractical, underscoring the need for effective simulation tools. We propose SPACE (Swarm Planning and Control Evaluation), a Python-based simulator designed to support the research, evaluation, and comparison of decentralized Multi-Robot Task Allocation (MRTA) algorithms. SPACE streamlines core algorithmic development by allowing users to implement decision-making algorithms as Python plug-ins, easily construct agent behavior trees via an intuitive GUI, and leverage built-in support for inter-agent communication and local task awareness. To demonstrate its practical utility, we implement and evaluate CBBA and GRAPE within the simulator, comparing their performance across different metrics, particularly in scenarios with dynamically introduced tasks. This evaluation shows the usefulness of SPACE in conducting rigorous and standardized comparisons of MRTA algorithms, helping to support future research in the field.
title SPACE: A Python-based Simulator for Evaluating Decentralized Multi-Robot Task Allocation Algorithms
topic Robotics
Artificial Intelligence
Multiagent Systems
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2409.04230