Multi-Robot Management Framework based on the Agent Dual-Space Control Paradigm

Contents

Some new ideas concerning agent and multiagent systems in the context of robotics are presented. These ideas are based on long term research and experiences in agent theory (M-agent architecture) and technology. The M-agent architecture may be used for the taxonomy of multiagent systems depending on the nature of the environment. If the environment is a cyber-space, MAS contains software (possibly mobile) agents. If the environment is a real-space, there are devices (like mobile robots) that may communicate and interoperate. Following this idea, we may say that robot (considered as autonomous intelligent being) is in the cyber-space as a software application (M-agent), whereas the real robot is reduced to a device (tool) performing a specific service, and changing, in this way, the real-space. The presented approach leads us to the archtecture of the multi-robot system, and then to framework for multi-robot system development The framework assumes, that a robot is not a pro-active participant of the system. It is considered to be a tool, which must support several required functionality, and can support some additional features. The mentioned approach to the multi-robot system development and the application of the framework are presented in the paper.