Network challenges in mobile group robotics: MANET approach

This paper presents special issues and key challenges of protocols and network architectures for mobile robotics networks. The features of the physical layer are considered as well as their impact on performance, scalability and robustness of the network. Data link issues are examined, such as multiple access methods in respect to group control strategies applied to mobile group robotics. A potential performance gain of using code division in decentralized robotics architectures is discussed. Approaches to routing metrics calculation considering mobile network features are also reviewed. The main principles of mobile robotics network design on lower OSI layers are explained.