An Adaptive Boundary Coverage Control Strategy for Swarm Robotic Systems

This thesis presents an approach to design and implementation of an adaptive boundary coverage control strategy for a swarm robotic system. Several fields of study are relevant to this project, including; dynamic modeling, control theory, programming, and robotic design. Tools and techniques from these fields were used to design and implement a model simulation and an experimental testbed. To achieve this goal, a simulation of the boundary coverage control strategy was first developed. This simulated model allowed for concept verification for different robot groups and boundary designs. The simulation consisted of a single, constantly expanding circular boundary with a modeled swarm of robots that autonomously allocate themselves around the boundary. Ultimately, this simulation was implemented in an experimental testbed consisting of mobile robots and a moving boundary wall to exhibit the behaviors of the simulated robots. The conclusions from this experiment are hoped to help make further advancements to swarm robotic technology. The results presented show promise for future progress in adaptive control strategies for robotic swarms.