Developing multi-agent system robotics

In this paper we want to create a multi-agent robotics system consisting of a number of identical robots, each controlled by identical agent-based software. We therefore have to design and build a number of robots advanced enough to be able to navigate around, communicate with other robots, pick-up objects, and return them back home. Another important demand is that the robot can actually be designed and build in a somewhat simple manner, as we do not want to spend all the time at hand dealing with hardware. The software controlling the robots must be agent-based, and must be able to either run on the robots, or at least illustrate the possibility of the software actually running on the robots. Further, we need to design a world/environment for the robots to be situated in. This world need to be complex enough to illustrate the problem, but simple enough for us to implement the wanted system within the given period of time.