Large-scale functional patterning using mobile robot swarms and ergodic control

Large-scale surfaces, such as ship hulls, face challenges in applying functional structures due to manufacturing constraints. This work presents a scalable approach using low-cost, autonomous robot swarms guided by an ergodic control framework to pattern micro-scale features on meter-scale metallic surfaces. The robots operate collaboratively to achieve density-specific coverage, optimizing surface functionalities like friction reduction and hydrodynamic performance. Experimental validation demonstrates the critical role of feature density in tribological performance, and an example application highlights the creation of gradient-density patterns. This innovative method unlocks new possibilities for functional surface patterning on large-scale structures with imprecise robots.