Information Distribution in Decentralized Context Models of Autonomous Robot Teams

Abstract Collaborating autonomous robots provide significant advantages, particularly when compared to single, multifunctional robots or multiple uncoordinated and isolated robots. This includes enhanced spatial coverage, flexibility, and cost-efficiency through specialization. Effective information distribution is essential for such collaboration, especially in scenarios with communication constraints, such as disaster response. Based on a review of existing approaches, this paper introduces a decentralized approach to optimize information sharing among autonomous robots, focusing on when, what, and with whom to communicate. By prioritizing relevant and timely information, the approach reduces communication effort while maintaining mission efficiency. Simulations with homogeneous and heterogeneous robot teams demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach, highlighting its potential to enhance multi-robot collaboration in communication constrained environments. The findings establish a foundation for efficient information distribution, offering promising applications in disaster response and other scenarios requiring autonomous robot teams.