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Download fileDistributed task rescheduling with time constraints for the optimization of total task allocations in a multirobot system
journal contribution
posted on 2017-09-07, 15:17 authored by Joanna Turner, Qinggang MengQinggang Meng, Gerald SchaeferGerald Schaefer, Amanda Whitbrook, Andrea SoltoggioAndrea SoltoggioThis paper considers the problem of maximising the number of task allocations in a distributed multi-robot system under strict time constraints, where other optimisation objectives need also be considered. This study builds upon existing distributed task allocation algorithms, extending them with a novel method for maximising the number of task assignments. The fundamental idea is that a task assignment to a robot has a
high cost if its reassignment to another robot creates a feasible time slot for unallocated tasks. Multiple reassignments among networked robots may be required to create a feasible time slot and an upper limit to this number of reassignments can be
adjusted according to performance requirements. A simulated rescue scenario with task deadlines and fuel limits is used to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method compared with existing methods, the Consensus-Based Bundle Algorithm (CBBA) and the Performance Impact algorithm (PI). Starting from existing (PI-generated) solutions, results show an up to 20% increase in task allocations using the proposed method.
Funding
Q.Meng was supported by EPSRC (grant number EP/J011525/1) with BAE Systems as the leading industrial partner.
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