Strategies for searching a mobile target using mobile sensors in a two-dimensional grid

This article addresses a grid-based target searching problem in a multi-searcher single-target environment. In the problem, the mobile sensors and the mobile object are the searchers and the target, respectively. The problem is described as follows - the target enters into a grid from any one of the sides and aims to exit the opposite side; the searchers try to search the target before the target leaves the region. The problem is modeled as a game between the searchers and the target. In this article, two strategies for the target are specified: random walk and partial random walk. Alternatively, cooperative and non-cooperative strategies for the searchers have been analyzed by mathematical model and simulation results. The simulation results show that the cooperative strategy outperforms the non-cooperative strategy. The proposed work helps the searchers to choose the suitable actions to achieve their goals under different circumstances. Additionally, various real-time applications of the proposed work have been addressed in the paper.