ABSTRACT
Task-oriented behavior by groups of agents is ubiquitous in nature. How and why should multiple mobile robots be used for a task? Although most mobile robotic systems involve a single robot operating alone in its environment, a number of researchers have considered the problems and potential advantages involved in having an environment inhabited by a group of robots which cooperate in order to complete some required task. For some specific robotic tasks, such as exploring an unknown planet [28], pushing objects [350, 301, 396], or cleaning up toxic waste [354], it has been suggested that, rather than sending one very complex robot to perform the task, it would more effective to send a number of smaller, simpler robots.
