Multi-Robot Cooperated Sensor Networks Hierarchical Expanding Deployment and Perception Architecture

As complex and powerful systems, mobile robots can be used to cooperate with WSNs, whose nodes have restricted resource. Considering the vulnerability of traditional architecture for robot cooperated sensor networks deployment and perception with respect to adaptability and expandability, an original concept of HEDPA, which means hierarchical expanding deployment and perception architecture, is proposed. HEDPA is fulfilled with three-level structure, including mother robots, child robots, and sensor nodes. The basic concept, the graphical description scheme and the task classification under HEDPA are provided. Some key issues of HEDPA, including basic hardware platform, robot path planning optimal model and optimizing procedure are discussed. Using Player/Stage and NS2, simulation studies are fulfilled. The primary application verifies that HEDPA has the predominance of context-aware progressive expandability, and can supplement mutually with traditional architecture to solve more extensive deployment and perception issues. Some future works are proposed at the end of the paper.