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UWEETR-2004-0025 Author(s): Keywords: Abstract In this report, we describe a decentralized controller for the reactive formation switching of a team of autonomous mobile robots. In particular, the investigation focuses on how a structured formation of agents can reorganize into a non-rigid formation based on changes in the environment. The controller utilizes nearest- neighbor artificial potentials (social rules) for collision-free formation maintenance and environmental changes act as a stimulus for switching between formations. The goals for the controller are initially set to reach stable formations, outline the disturbance to the environment and maintain team connectivity once a stable formation is reached. Simulations are presented, demonstrating the controller’s promise as a solution and initial stability analysis is performed on the simulation data. |