Linear Task
— A "leader" agent leading a group
of "follower" agents moves along
a sequence of waypoints until the target is reached. Then the group of followers
will swarm around the target and senses potential contaminant (here: water).
When the contaminant is found, the agent stops and collects data for some
time before it moves around again. After the task is completed, the
leader agent collects all follower agents and guides them back to the home base.
Convex Hull Task —
A group of autonomous sensor
agents swarm within a convex hull marked by four waypoints. All agents search for contaminants (here: water). If
a contaminant is found by an agent, it will stop and start collecting
data regarding the contaminant. After collecting data for some time, it
will wake up and start moving and searching for new contaminants. All activities are carried out autonomously and collision-free (agents
will avoid collisions with each other while they are swarming).
Two-Tier Task
— A
swarm of VEX-based agents is
composed of two subsets: a high-density swarm that is initially on the
outer perimeter of the "theatre of operation" and a low-density swarm
that is initially close to the center. Through emergent behavior,
the high-density and the low-density swarm interchange their
positioning, i.e., the high-density swarm moves to the center while the
other swarm is pushed to the perimeter.
Contaminant
Detection Task Using Beacon-Based Resource Allocation in Swarms
— Radio beacons can be used to improve
the search performance of a swarm. If a swarm agent detects a
contaminant (here: water), it activates a beacon that attracts other agents to
the area, while still maintaining its repel beacon for collision
avoidance. There are two areas of contaminations, which after being
detected by one agent, and are quickly "covered" by additional agents that
are called to the area.
Contaminant Detection Task Using
Beacon-Based Resource Allocation in Swarms with Data Reporting to
Base-station
— This is an
enhanced version of the video immediately above. Attractive radio
beacons are used to improve the search performance of a swarm. Data
reporting beacons are used to make sure that the base-station always has
some knowledge of the rough topology of the swarming agents, therefore
some knowledge of the contaminants within the swarming areas. If a
swarm agent detects a contaminant (here: water), it activates a beacon
that attracts other agents to the area and report the information of the
detecting agents back to the base-station. There are three areas
of contaminations, which after being detected by one agent, and are
quickly "covered" by additional agents that are called to the area.
Perimeter Security Task
— A group
of ultra-low complex agents are employed for the perimeter security for
a protected swarming area. Four agents consecutively go through the six
waypoints that mark the hexagon swarming area that needs to be protected
one by one.
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