Robot Clustering

Abstract

Puck clustering systems are systems in which simple agents move building material, or pucks, in a spatially limited area in a random or pseudo-random way. While we adapt puck clustering theory to robot clustering systems to generate a decentralized swarm of robots which coalesces using only stigmergic in formation and local sensing into a single cluster, this paper does not discuss puck clustering. Rather, its focus is on aggregation. Robot clustering systems may be characterized by the number of active robots in the system and the average variance of the robots from a determined center. The number of active robots de creases as cluster is formed, mirroring the analogous result of puck clustering. There is a sharp decline in the average variance of the robots, indicating a rapid coalescence of the robot swarm