Robotic Routers
Mobile robots equipped with wireless networking capabilities can act as robotic routers and provide network connectivity to mobile users. Robotic routers provide cost efficient solutions for deployment of a wireless network in a large environment with a limited number of users.
In this work, we present motion planning algorithms for robotic routers to maintain the connectivity of a single user to a base station. We consider two motion models for the user. In the first model, the user's motion is known in advance. In the second model, the user moves in an adversarial fashion and tries to break the connectivity. We present optimal motion planning strategies for both models. We demonstrate a practical application of mobile router networks with simulations where the environment is our floor.We also present demos from real implementation of robotic routers.
We show the practical application of mobile router networks with
simulations on the map of our floor. We discretize the hallways into
discrete locations almost uniformly (some degeneracy exists near the
corners of halls). In all simulations, magenta colored circle
represents the base-station, green colored square represents the user
and diamond shape represents the mobile routers. Red dashed lines
shows the active connection path between the base-station and the
user.
In this simulation, we start with a network of a single
robotic router. For a given (known) user trajectory, we compute the
corresponding robot trajectory which keeps the user connected during
its trajectory. Next, we find an escape trajectory in which a single
robotic router is not sufficient to maintain the
connectivity. Finally, we show that two robotic routers are sufficient
to keep the user connected whatever initial location or trajectory he
chooses. We show how two robotic routers keep the user connected even
if the user tries to break the connection.
This experiment shows the practical feasibility of the implemented robotic router system with known user trajectory model. Here the user is a robot which is controlled remotely by the base station.
This experiment shows a demo for robotic router system with unknown user trajectory model. Here the user is a human with holding a laptop. Our design requires that the user sends his initial location when he requests network connection. After the connection is maintained user sends the direction of his movement before he moves. For example, user sends command "r" to signal his desire to move right. For each next location of the user, we consider the user as an adversarial user and choose the motion strategies for robots which maximize the connection time. This ensures a guaranteed performance for a user whose trajectory is unknown.
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