Effective implementation of a mapping swarm of robots

There are several driving factors involved in the development of a robotic swarm. On the hardware side, assembly should be adaptable, easily reproduced, and relatively inexpensive. Motors, mounts, wheels, and chassis material must be chosen as well as appropriate sensors. A workable communication protocol must be determined. Software should be concise and common to each robot in the swarm while meeting the requirements of the desired function.