Accelerating multi-target tracking by a swarm of mobile robots with network preservation

This paper addresses a decentralized control of robot swarm for multi-target tracking with network preservation - namely swarm dispersion algorithm (SDA). The robot swarm moves towards targets while preserving connectivities for networking communication. The developed controller relied on local information of neighboring robots is synthesized by the rules of behavioral control and connectivity maintenance. The swarm dispersion algorithm accelerates the multi-target tracking by minimizing connectivities but preserving an ad-hoc communication network through all the robots. The decentralized control consists of three major functionalities: (1) maintaining connectivities between the robots for swarm movement towards the targets; (2) breaking down triangle and k-connected topologies to accelerate the target reaching; (3) adjusting the robots' velocity to preserve connectivities for an ad-hoc communication network through all the robots. The developed algorithm is demonstrated and verified in simulation.