Recharging robot teams: A tanker approach

Abstract

We examine the use of a tanker robot to distribute energy in a system of autonomous robots. Consider a team of autonomous mobile worker robots performing some task, each with a finite but rechargeable energy supply such as a battery or fuel cell. To work, the robots must expend energy. To expend more energy than is contained in a single battery charge, the robots must recharge. We examine the use of a special-purpose, energy-transporting "tanker" robot that finds and recharges worker robots, extending their working life. We examine the requirements of such a robot and compare some candidate designs in simulation