ABSTRACT
Foraging is a powerful benchmark problem in collective robotics
for several reasons. Firstly, sophisticated foraging observed in
social insects, recently becoming well understood, provides both
inspiration and system-level models for artificial systems. Secondly,
collective foraging is a complex task involving the coordination of
several-each also difficult-tasks, including efficient exploration
(searching) for objects, food, or prey; physical collection (harvest-
ing) of objects almost certainly requiring physical manipulation;
homing or navigation whilst transporting those objects to collection
point(s); and deposition of the objects before returning to foraging.
And thirdly, effective multirobot foraging requires cooperation
between individuals involving either communication to signal to
others where objects may be found (e.g., pheromone trails or
direction giving) and/or cooperative transport of objects too large
for a single individual to transport.
