A Hierarchical Deliberative Architecture Framework based on Goal Decomposition

Performing a complex autonomous mission with a multi-robot system requires to integrate several deliberative approaches to perform task allocation, optimization, and execution control. Implementing such a deliberative architecture is a complex task: it requires the developer to master the decision algorithms themselves (e.g., automated planning models), to have a good knowledge of the involved robotic platforms, and to think about how these elements will be assembled as a system architecture. We propose a framework to help designing such deliberative architectures. The framework relies on the concept of a hierarchical structure of actors, each actor managing goals with specific planning or optimization approaches, and delegating sub-goals to other actors.