Multi-robot collaboration for robust exploration

This paper presents a new sensing modality for multirobot exploration. The approach is based on using a pair of robots that observe each other, and ac t in concert to reduce odometry errors. We assume the robots can both direc tly sense nearby obstacles and see each other. The proposed approach improv es the quality of the map by reducing the inaccuracies that occur over time from dead reckoning errors. Furthermore, by exploiting the ability of the robots to see each other, we can detect opaque obstacles in the environment independently of their surface reflectance properties. Two different algor ithms, based on the size of the environment, are introduced, with a complex ity analysis, and experimental results in simulation and with real robots.