DAMN: a distributed architecture for mobile navigation

TLDR

The paper presents an architecture where distributed task modules vote to determine a mobile robot’s path. An arbiter fuses the behaviour votes, selecting the action that best satisfies prioritized goals without averaging, enabling simultaneous consideration of multiple goals and constraints. Implemented examples demonstrate the architecture, and the authors outline future research directions in command fusion. Keywords: Mobile Robots, Distributed Architecture, Behaviours, Voting, Arbitration, Command Fusion.

Abstract

Abstract An architecture is presented in which distributed task-achieving modules, or behaviours, cooperatively determine a mobile robot's path by voting for each of various possible actions. An arbiter then performs command fusion and selects that action which best satisfies the prioritized goals of the system, as expressed by these votes, without the need to average commands. Command fusion allows multiple goals and constraints to be considered simultaneously. Examples of implemented systems are given, and future research directions in command fusion are discussed. Keywords: Mobile Robots Distributed Architecture Behaviours Voting Arbitration Command Fusion