Decentralized online simultaneous localization and mapping for multi-agent systems

Abstract

Planning tasks performed by a robotic agent require previous access to a map of the environment and the position where the agent is located. This creates a problem when the agent is placed in a new environment. To solve it, the RA must execute the task known as Simultaneous Location and Mapping (SLAM) which locates the agent in the new environment while generating the map at the same time, geometrically or topologically. One of the big problems in SLAM is the amount of memory required for the RA to store the details of the environment map. In addition, environment data capture needs a robust processing unit to handle data representation, which in turn is reflected in a bigger RA unit with higher energy use and production costs. This article presents a design for a system capable of a decentralized implementation of SLAM that is based on the use of a system comprised of wireless agents capable of storing and distributing the map as it is being generated by the RA. The proposed system was validated in an environment with a surface area of 25 m2, in which it was capable of generating the topological map online, and without relying on external units connected to the system.