Optimization Methods for Motion Planning of Multi-robot Systems

Abstract

Optimization through nonlinear programming techniques, such as gradient algorithms, can be an efficient approach for solving various problems in the design of intelligent robots, e.g. motion planning for multi-robot systems. A distributed gradient algorithm is proposed for enabling coordinated convergence of an ensemble of mobile robots towards a goal state, and at the same time for assuring avoidance of collisions between the robots as well as avoidance of collisions with obstacles in the motion plane. The stability of the multi-robot system is proved with Lyapunov’s theory and particularly with LaSalle’s theorem. Motion planning with the use of distributed gradient is compared to motion planning based on particle swarm optimization.