This research is to study communications and control requirements for multiple autonomous robots to cooperate in accomplishing a task, where the robots are organized heterarchically instead of using the more common hierarchical (master/slave) control. Each behaves reactively, in accordance with sets of relatively primitive motor schemas. The resulting organization does not require an explicit world model, and should be more robust and hence more suitable for operations in remote and/or hazardous environments. A key research issue is to evaluate the efficacy of such systems operating under constrained inter-agent communications. Such agents could be more economical to operate. The goal of the research is to understand and develop control and communication mechanisms that produce robust yet efficient cooperative robot behavior.
