Network-centric Supervisory Control System for Mobile Robotic Groups

The paper analyzes network-centric control methods for mobile robotic groups. We consider the task of controlling a group of mobile robots, performing reconnaissance for space and terrestrial applications. In the paper each robot is a cyber-physical object consisting of mechatronic part and computer module, which analyzes data from sensors and generates commands. The use of network-centric approach allows separating these two parts, transferring resource-intensive computing tasks in a high-performance hybrid cloud environment. A cloud environment as a single point for processing of all sensory data allows us to use the advantages of centralized control method and to manage the resources of mobile robots more effectively. In this case, each robot keeps the autonomy if there is no communication with the control center. So a key element of such control systems is reliable communication links. In our work we use redundancy and duplication of various communication channels to provide a continuous connection between a mobile robot and control center.