Decentralized cooperative manipulation with a swarm of mobile robots

Abstract

In this paper we consider cooperative manipulation problems where a large group (swarm) of non-articulated mobile robots is trying to cooperatively control the velocity of some larger rigid body by exerting forces around its perimeter. We consider a second-order dynamic model for the object but use a simplified contact model. We seek solutions that require minimal information sharing among the swarm members. We present a velocity control law that is asymptotically stable. In the case of a constant desired velocity, it is shown that no coordination is required between the swarm members. For more complex trajectories we introduce a decentralized feed-forward component that uses an online consensus estimate of the swarm's configuration. The results are illustrated in simulation.