Potentially Distributable Energy: Towards Energy Autonomy in Large Population of Mobile Robots

We propose a new concept, potentially distributable energy, in the field of autonomous mobile robots. Considering a system of multiple robots powered by batteries, each robot no longer works since its energy capacity is expired. To extend operating time, the robot needs to replenish energy through recharging energy. To date, except research on vaccum cleaning robots that are able to recharge battery when docking with the fixed station has been achieved, there does not exist any research of energy distribution to prolong operating time in a large population of mobile robots. This could be caused by the lack of using rechargeable battery in the fact that the robot has to normally spend the charging-time much longer than the operating time. This paper presents simulation results of mobile robots that are capable of not only self-recharging energy but also exchanging batteries to the other robots. Initially, we describe a simulation of multiple mobile robots, and then issue rules of battery exchange, which is formulated under constraints of workload, distance and remaining capacity. The simulation shows that: (a) a robot is able to be energetically autonomous if its energy can be replenished by the other robots or it is able to come back to the main charging station to replenish itself; (b) energy of a robot is always under constraints of energy distribution of the mother charging station and the other robots; (c) distributed energy balance is the main elements to decide a number of robots in a specific area and an ideal location of the repository when one wants to deploy a large population of autonomous mobile robots. Finally, based on results of the simulation we adjust rules for our real multirobot system.