Multi robot exploration and mapping using frontier cell concept

Abstract

In this work, a new technique is developed for exploration and map building in multiple mobile robots. This proposed technique uses the concept of frontier cells. This system tries to extend the existing exploration and mapping techniques of single robot to multi-robot to increase the exploration efficiency (i.e. to reduce the environment exploration time required). The goal of the proposed mechanism is to design and develop an efficient multi-robot exploration scheme which will explore a given unknown area in the shortest time possible while coordinating their actions and sharing their local maps in certain time instances. In this technique, each robot tries to localize itself and identify the cell in which it is located. Based on a probabilistic model, it selects a frontier cell to be its next target cell, which is not already explored by other robots. Once the robot reaches the new target cell, it updates the status of the cell as explored and shares this information with all other robots.