工程科学学报，第40卷，第8期：893-900,2018年8月 Chinese Journal of Engineering,Vol.40,No.8:893-900,August 2018 DOI:10.13374/j.issn2095-9389.2018.08.001;http://journals.ustb.edu.cn 多机器人编队控制研究进展 贾永楠，李 擎四 北京科技大学自动化学院，北京100083 ☒通信作者，E-mail:liqing@ics.usth.cu.cm 摘要首先介绍了传统的编队控制方法的定义、特点和常用方法及优缺点，并将传统编队控制时代定义为前编队控制时 代.随着多智能体技术的发展，将多智能体技术引入到编队控制问题中，诞生了众多新的研究成果，称为后编队控制时代。后 编队控制时代以多智能体技术为基础，随着通信技术、计算机技术、人工智能技术的发展而逐渐壮大起来，并受到了学者的广 泛关注.前编队控制时代强调多机器人通过编队协作完成单个机器人无法实现的任务，提高任务完成效率且缩短任务完成时 间.后编队控制时代则是在前编队控制时代的基础上，更强调低成本、同步性和协同性，但却不那么重视每个个体的任务分 工，甚至是按照规则自由分配任务，不再有“不可替代”的个体存在.最后给出了研究编队控制问题的基本思路和目前尚待解 决的关键问题. 关键词机器人：编队控制：多智能体技术：大规模系统：分布式控制 分类号V249.1 Research development of multi-robot formation control JIA Yong-nan,LI Qing School of Automation and Electrical Engineering,University of Science and Technology Beijing,Beijing 100083,China Corresponding author,E-mail:liqing@ies.ustb.edu.cn ABSTRACT Multi-robot formation control is one of the most important research directions in the field of robotics.In this paper,the definition and characteristics of multi-robot formation control were given and several traditional formation control methods were intro- duced,such as leader-follower method,behavior-based method,artificial potential method,and virtual structure method,and their ad- vantages and disadvantages were stated.The era in which these traditional control methods are applied is termed as "Former Formation Control Era"(FFCE).Following the development of multi-agent theory,the multi-agent technology has become popular and is consid- ered as an efficient solution to the multi-robot system formation control problem,and it has generated several favorable results.The era in which this technology is adopted is termed the "Post Formation Control Era"(PFCE).In this era,the multi-agent theory has gained much attention following the developments in the communication technology,computation technology,and artificial intelligence technol- ogy.The FFCE emphasizes that multiple robots are able to accomplish complex tasks that are unachievable by a single robot,while forming a desired formation,which improves the efficiency of a required task as well as shorten the completion time of the task.Howev- er,the PFCE emphasizes much more cost-effectiveness,synchronization,and coordination than the FFCE.Meanwhile,the PFCE does not pay much attention to the task assignment for each individual,but assigns each sub-task autonomously to each individual on the ba- sis of simple rules,and there exists no "irreplaceable"individual.Finally,this paper presented the basic steps for solving the forma- tion control problem using multi-agent technologies. KEY WORDS robots;formation control;multi-agent technology;large-scale system;distributed control 收稿日期：2017-09-29 基金项目：国家自然科学基金青年资助项目(61603362)：国家博士后基金资助项目(2016M600923):北京科技大学基本科研业务费资助项目 (2017年度)工程科学学报,第 40 卷,第 8 期:893鄄鄄900,2018 年 8 月 Chinese Journal of Engineering, Vol. 40, No. 8: 893鄄鄄900, August 2018 DOI: 10. 13374 / j. issn2095鄄鄄9389. 2018. 08. 001; http: / / journals. ustb. edu. cn 多机器人编队控制研究进展 贾永楠, 李 擎苣 北京科技大学自动化学院, 北京 100083 苣 通信作者, E鄄mail: liqing@ ies. ustb. edu. cn 摘 要 首先介绍了传统的编队控制方法的定义、特点和常用方法及优缺点,并将传统编队控制时代定义为前编队控制时 代. 随着多智能体技术的发展,将多智能体技术引入到编队控制问题中,诞生了众多新的研究成果,称为后编队控制时代. 后 编队控制时代以多智能体技术为基础,随着通信技术、计算机技术、人工智能技术的发展而逐渐壮大起来,并受到了学者的广 泛关注. 前编队控制时代强调多机器人通过编队协作完成单个机器人无法实现的任务,提高任务完成效率且缩短任务完成时 间. 后编队控制时代则是在前编队控制时代的基础上,更强调低成本、同步性和协同性,但却不那么重视每个个体的任务分 工,甚至是按照规则自由分配任务,不再有“不可替代冶的个体存在. 最后给出了研究编队控制问题的基本思路和目前尚待解 决的关键问题. 关键词 机器人; 编队控制; 多智能体技术; 大规模系统; 分布式控制 分类号 V249郾 1 收稿日期: 2017鄄鄄09鄄鄄29 基金项目: 国家自然科学基金青年资助项目(61603362);国家博士后基金资助项目(2016M600923);北京科技大学基本科研业务费资助项目 (2017 年度) Research development of multi鄄robot formation control JIA Yong鄄nan, LI Qing 苣 School of Automation and Electrical Engineering, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing 100083, China 苣 Corresponding author, E鄄mail: liqing@ ies. ustb. edu. cn ABSTRACT Multi鄄robot formation control is one of the most important research directions in the field of robotics. In this paper, the definition and characteristics of multi鄄robot formation control were given and several traditional formation control methods were intro鄄 duced, such as leader鄄follower method, behavior鄄based method, artificial potential method, and virtual structure method, and their ad鄄 vantages and disadvantages were stated. The era in which these traditional control methods are applied is termed as “Former Formation Control Era冶 (FFCE). Following the development of multi鄄agent theory, the multi鄄agent technology has become popular and is consid鄄 ered as an efficient solution to the multi鄄robot system formation control problem, and it has generated several favorable results. The era in which this technology is adopted is termed the “Post Formation Control Era冶 (PFCE). In this era, the multi鄄agent theory has gained much attention following the developments in the communication technology, computation technology, and artificial intelligence technol鄄 ogy. The FFCE emphasizes that multiple robots are able to accomplish complex tasks that are unachievable by a single robot, while forming a desired formation, which improves the efficiency of a required task as well as shorten the completion time of the task. Howev鄄 er, the PFCE emphasizes much more cost鄄effectiveness, synchronization, and coordination than the FFCE. Meanwhile, the PFCE does not pay much attention to the task assignment for each individual, but assigns each sub鄄task autonomously to each individual on the ba鄄 sis of simple rules, and there exists no “irreplaceable冶 individual. Finally, this paper presented the basic steps for solving the forma鄄 tion control problem using multi鄄agent technologies. KEY WORDS robots; formation control; multi鄄agent technology; large鄄scale system; distributed control