Mobile Multi-robot Communication Networks

Cooperation of multi-robots is very important in mobile multi-robotic system. In order to implement coordination and cooperation, individual robot's sensor must provide enough information about environment and other robots. So communication of multi-robotic system is necessitous. This paper does some research and simulation experiments on mobile multi-robotic communication network by combining with Ad Hoc network technology, and using NS-2 simulation to simulate communication condition in open environment.First, this paper introduces mobile multi-robotic communication technology, and investigates the features of the mobile multi-robotic communication network. Referring to OSI model and TCP/IP model, the levels of mobile multi-robotic communication network are divided, and the function of every level is described, which indicates more specific direction of research on mobile multi-robotic communication network in theory. Second, the paper deeply studies the routing protocols of Ad Hoc network, analyzes and compares the performance of three dominant routing protocols and flooding protocol in detail by using NS-2 simulation. Third, the paper deeply analyzes the traditional TCP's existing problems in Ad Hoc network, introduces main resolutions currently, and especially, investigates three end-to-end improved resolutions. Then we simulate and analyze the performance of Reno TCP in Ad Hoc network. On the basis of experiment results, and drawing lessons from TCP DOOR, the paper proposes an improved Fixed RTO. By comparing the performance of improved Fixed RTO and Old Fixed RTO using NS-2, it is proved that the performance of the improved Fixed RTO is better than the old in some degree. Finally, combining with existing communication models and methods, this paper designs and implements a communication platform, GlbSpace, in Windows and Linux, which can transfer point-to-point message and blackboard message, and provides a unified and transparent communication environment for upper level application.