Coordinated multi-robot exploration: Out of the box packages for ROS

Abstract

We present and evaluate new ROS packages for coordinated multi-robot exploration, namely communication, global map construction, and exploration. The packages allow completely distributed control and do not rely on (but allow) central controllers. Their integration including application layer protocols allows out of the box installation and execution. The communication package enables reliable ad hoc communication allowing to exchange local maps between robots which are merged to a global map. Exploration uses the global map to spatially spread robots and decrease exploration time. The intention of the implementation is to offer basic functionality for coordinated multi-robot systems and to enable other research groups to experimentally work on multi-robot systems. The packages are tested in real-world experiments using Turtlebot and Pioneer robots. Further, we analyze their performance using simulations and verify their correct working.