Distributed and Cooperative Exploration for Multiple Targets Using Detection Maps

Abstract

In this study, we propose a distributed search method for multiple targets in a two-dimensional space using detection maps. The proposed search method has the advantages of being robust to global area coverage, having a small computational load, and being fault-tolerant due to its distributed control. Specifically, each search agent shares its target detection history from its own search as a detection map with other agents, and is controlled according to the gradient of the potential field created based on this map, which enables distributed and efficient search activities. The contribution of this paper is that the proposed method improves the flexibility of conventional search methods by distributing them. Finally, simulation validation confirms the effectiveness of the proposed method.