Artificial potential based control for a large scale formation of mobile robots

This work presents control method based on a set of artificial potential functions. The kind of used artificial potential depends on particular objective: avoiding collisions between robots and keeping them in the ordered formation, executing task by the formation (e.g. moving formation into desired position), building formation and avoiding collisions with obstacles. In this paper we expand existing framework proposing attraction area potential function, which allows building formation and repulsion potential function, which allows avoiding collisions with obstacles. Main advantage of presented approach is that it is easy scalable because control is based on general rule that determines behaviour of all robots. Presented solutions are illustrated with simulation results.