Localizing Multiple Odor Sources Using Virtual Physics Based Robots

Abstract

This paper is concerned with the problem of multiple chemical sources localization using multi-robot system. A multi-robot cooperation strategy with virtual physics force, which includes structure formation force, goal force, repulsion force and rotary force, is proposed. First, in order to test the effectiveness of the proposed strategy, two sources plume model are constructed by computation fluid dynamics simulations. Second, parallel search by two groups robots is used to locate two sources in simulation environment. With the purpose of preventing two groups from locating the same source, we proposed a rotary force which made each subgroup can locate different chemical source. Simulation experiment discussed the influence of the varied wind direction/ speed frequency and methane release frequency and different initial positions of two groups to the search performance. Finally, the comparative result about them is illustrated.