Behaviour decisions for co-operant mobile robots

Research into multiple co-operant robots has tended to focus upon manipulator devices connected to a central controller responsible for all inter-arm kinematic and dynamic decisions. To investigate the generic aspects of co-operant robotic devices, a three year research program is under way into co-operant mobile robots for advanced manufacturing and material handling applications. The paper presents research in the area of behaviour decisions for co-operant mobile robots by introducing the formalism that has been adopted and by detailing the co-operant behaviour decisions with which the authors are experimenting. It concludes with a description of a co-operant behaviour development system being used to further the research