are simple, thorough studies may
reveal a general
scientific
approach
on how to achieve robust collective
behaviour that future systems
may build on to achieve more
complex objectives.
CHALLENGES IN REAL-WORLD
CONSTRUCTION
The
field
of automated construction
is gaining attention and now includes
demonstrations of robot collectives,
brick-laying robot arms and
3D-printed houses. Every strategy
has advantages and weaknesses;
it is likely that hybrid solutions will
pave the way for truly automated
construction. Many challenges
remain, however, before these
systems can be translated to the
real world; most notably long-term
autonomy in dynamic environments.
For robot collectives, this implies both
local and global error tolerance. In
the TERMES system, the focus is not
on error-free behaviour but rather on
robots that can perceive and recover
from local errors before they become
a global problem. When, inevitably, a
robot fails, the algorithmic framework
for the collective must provide a
solution. Such challenges in robot-
enabled construction may continue
to be addressed using biologically
inspired principles for robustness
and scalability.
1
David Andreén, Petra
Jennings, Nils Napp
and Kirstin Petersen,
Swarmbot Assemblages, ...
