Shinerbot: Bio-inspired collective robot swarm navigation platform

Enyu Luo, Xin Hui Fang, Yuting Ng, Grace Xingxin Gao

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contribution

Abstract

We designed and built a collective robot swarm navigation platform, called Shinerbot, inspired by the emergent navigation behavior of the Golden Shiner Fish. Unlike traditional navigation robots that require location information, path-planning and communication between networked elements, each Shinerbot performs only two navigation operations. Each Shinerbot modulates its speed based on sensing of its environment at its current location. In addition, each Shinerbot moves towards neighboring Shinerbots. Both our Shinerbot speed and direction incorporate some randomness. As a swarm, our Shinerbots collectively navigate using minimal sensing and control. We designed our Shinerbot swarm navigation platform to use vibration motors for mobility, a photodiode for environment light intensity sensing, reflective ranges for neighbor proximity sensing and a microcontroller for processing. In addition, to make large-scale swarm operations tractable, we designed a swarm messaging system and a swarm charging plate. We built 30 Shinerbots, each of size 40.6mm and of cost USD $20. This process includes drawing the circuit schematics, producing the PCB layouts, sending the PCB for fabrication, soldering the electronic components, writing custom software, programming the Shinerbots, calibration and testing. Following that, we experimentally demonstrated successful Shinerbot swarm navigation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Title of host publication29th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, ION GNSS 2016
PublisherInstitute of Navigation
Pages1091-1095
Number of pages5
ISBN (Electronic)9781510834101
DOIs
StatePublished - 2016
Event29th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, ION GNSS 2016 - Portland, United States
Duration: Sep 12 2016Sep 16 2016

Publication series

Name29th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, ION GNSS 2016
Volume2

Other

Other29th International Technical Meeting of the Satellite Division of the Institute of Navigation, ION GNSS 2016
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPortland
Period9/12/169/16/16

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Computer Science Applications
  • Software
  • Computer Networks and Communications
  • Communication
  • Information Systems
  • Electrical and Electronic Engineering

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