Protocols and Applications of Ad-hoc Robot Wireless Communication Networks: An Overview

Abstract

Communications and communication protocols play an important role in mobile robot systems. They enable the latter to address many real world applications. Since the advent of high - performance wireless local area network (WLAN) and ad hoc networking technology at relatively low cost, their use for wireless communications among mobile robots has become a practical proposition. However, in a large system with many mobile robots, it becomes difficult for all robots to exchange information at a time because of their limited communication capacities. In this case, an ad-hoc robot networking scheme is more promising. This paper focuses on this scheme by presenting the background of mobile ad hoc networks, ad-hoc robot wireless communications, and their applications. It serves readers with a comprehensive review of ad- hoc robot wireless communications and indication of the future research issues.