Multiple Mobile Robots Map Building Based on DSmT

In this paper, a new multi-robot system framework is introduced to solve the problem of multi-robot map building. Compared with the classical architectures introduced in the literature, this kind of framework enhances overall system performance, especially in reducing calculations and communications, improving real-time performance. Meanwhile a general basic belief assignment function (gbbaf) is constructed to deal with the uncertain and imprecise information obtained by sonar sensors with the application of new information fusion method DSmT (dezert and smarandache theory) in the system and consideration of characteristics of sonar sensors. At last, Pioneer II mobile robots are used to carry out experiments of map building for both single-robot system and multi-robot system. The comparison of created ichnography with the real map testified the validity of DSmT and efficiency of multi-robot system for fusing imprecise information and map building proposed by this research.