Musical abstractions in distributed multi-robot systems

Abstract

In this paper, we connect local properties in a mobile planar multi-robot team to the task of creating decentralized real time algorithmic music. Using a nonlinear formation control law inspired by the consensus equation, we map the local motion parameters of robots to Euclidean rhythms with the use of sequencers. The control parameters allow a human user to direct this decentralized musical process by guiding and interfering with the robots' motion, which subsequently affects their musical activity. We simulate such a robotic system in real time, demonstrating the expressiveness of the decentralized algorithmic musical output as well as a number of behaviors that arise out of the manipulation of the control parameters.